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DI Mike Lockyer #1
Never Look Back
He's watching. He's waiting. He knows.
Three women have been found brutally murdered in south London, the victims only feet away from help during each sadistic attack. And the killer is getting braver . . .
Sarah Grainger is rapidly becoming too afraid to leave her house. Once an outgoing photographer, she knows that someone is watching her. A cryptic note brings everything into terrifying focus, but it’s the chilling phone calls that take the case to another level.
DI Mike Lockyer heads up the regional murder squad. With three bodies on his watch, and a killer growing in confidence, he frantically tries to find the link between these seemingly isolated incidents. What he discovers will not only test him professionally but will throw his personal life into turmoil too.
Three women have been found brutally murdered in south London, the victims only feet away from help during each sadistic attack. And the killer is getting braver . . .
Sarah Grainger is rapidly becoming too afraid to leave her house. Once an outgoing photographer, she knows that someone is watching her. A cryptic note brings everything into terrifying focus, but it’s the chilling phone calls that take the case to another level.
DI Mike Lockyer heads up the regional murder squad. With three bodies on his watch, and a killer growing in confidence, he frantically tries to find the link between these seemingly isolated incidents. What he discovers will not only test him professionally but will throw his personal life into turmoil too.
327 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2014
48 people are currently reading
2390 people want to read
About the author
Clare Donoghue
8 books131 followersAfter ten years in London, working for a City law firm, Clare Donoghue moved back to her home town in Somerset to undertake an MA in creative writing at Bath Spa University. She was long-listed for the CWA Debut Dagger in 2011. Never Look Back is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
April 7, 2020
3.75 stars
Detective Mike Lockyer deals in death every day of his life, it affects him emotionally he has a soft heart, but is also fighting demons of his own as his daughter Megan was killed years earlier.
Three dead girls Phoebe Atherton, Katy Pearson & Deborah Stevens bodies were found by a group of 12 year old's in New Cross SE of London Deborah was the spitting image of his daughter Megan the girls had their wrists & throats cut & were raped, its up to Mike to find out who & wht these girls were killed.
Meanwhile Senior Detective Sargent Jane Bennett is dealing with Sarah Grainger a journalist who has a stalker after her, Paranoia sets into Sarah & she is unable to cope with her life. Bennett does all she can to help Sarah but both detectives are in too deep as the case goes higher into dark territory the stakes may cost them both.
MY THOUGHTS
This was a good start to a series I wasn't totally invested in the characters & at times I got a bit lost at who the prose was about as it was jumping from one to the other. The pacing was okay, would like to see the characters developed a bit more but all in all a decent read.
Detective Mike Lockyer deals in death every day of his life, it affects him emotionally he has a soft heart, but is also fighting demons of his own as his daughter Megan was killed years earlier.
Three dead girls Phoebe Atherton, Katy Pearson & Deborah Stevens bodies were found by a group of 12 year old's in New Cross SE of London Deborah was the spitting image of his daughter Megan the girls had their wrists & throats cut & were raped, its up to Mike to find out who & wht these girls were killed.
Meanwhile Senior Detective Sargent Jane Bennett is dealing with Sarah Grainger a journalist who has a stalker after her, Paranoia sets into Sarah & she is unable to cope with her life. Bennett does all she can to help Sarah but both detectives are in too deep as the case goes higher into dark territory the stakes may cost them both.
MY THOUGHTS
This was a good start to a series I wasn't totally invested in the characters & at times I got a bit lost at who the prose was about as it was jumping from one to the other. The pacing was okay, would like to see the characters developed a bit more but all in all a decent read.
August 21, 2019
I read this book back in 2017 but I never got around to reading the next two books in the series. Of course I can't remember what happened other than I know I really enjoyed it so I'm going back and reading it for the second time then will read the next in the series afterwards. This time around I'm listening to the audiobook.
As of chapter two, I'm already creeped out! So good! I will write a new review when I'm finished. Stay tuned!
********
Review from 2017
A quick paced, suspenseful book with an ending that both surprised me and left me wanting to read the second one very soon! Very well done with likable, realistic characters and a plot that's very conceivable and interesting, to say the least. Quite a few twists and turns that kept me turning the pages faster and faster as the book went on.
I've been reading quite a few books that have been set in the UK and I always enjoy the difference in language and setting. This one being no exception. Clare Donoghue does a splendid job of allowing the reader to visualize sharp impressions of the people and places surrounding the mystery with wonderful descriptions and use of words and phrases that are unique to both the UK and the individual characters. Very nicely done!
I seem to be reading a lot of books by authors I've not read before as this, too, is the first full length book of Clare Donoghue's I've read. I did read the prequel to this series and loved it! I'm pleased to say I've been on a hot streak of 4-5★ ratings for authors new to me thus far and I'm happy to add her as another great author! Most
Excellent! 4½★'s
As of chapter two, I'm already creeped out! So good! I will write a new review when I'm finished. Stay tuned!
********
Review from 2017
A quick paced, suspenseful book with an ending that both surprised me and left me wanting to read the second one very soon! Very well done with likable, realistic characters and a plot that's very conceivable and interesting, to say the least. Quite a few twists and turns that kept me turning the pages faster and faster as the book went on.
I've been reading quite a few books that have been set in the UK and I always enjoy the difference in language and setting. This one being no exception. Clare Donoghue does a splendid job of allowing the reader to visualize sharp impressions of the people and places surrounding the mystery with wonderful descriptions and use of words and phrases that are unique to both the UK and the individual characters. Very nicely done!
I seem to be reading a lot of books by authors I've not read before as this, too, is the first full length book of Clare Donoghue's I've read. I did read the prequel to this series and loved it! I'm pleased to say I've been on a hot streak of 4-5★ ratings for authors new to me thus far and I'm happy to add her as another great author! Most
Excellent! 4½★'s
November 14, 2015
Published in 2014, this debut novel is the beginning of a series. DI Mike Lockyer is not the typical policeman found in mystery novels. He is very human, shows his emotions both good and bad, and has his regrets and anxieties. He is not an alcoholic or a pill popper and has no more damage than any other semi-divorced man with an 18 year old daughter. He's very likable, maybe even lovable!
Mike deals with murders. He's very sensitive around crime scenes and is affected deeply by them. He has several to investigate, but gets involved in a stalking case as well.
The book was slow at first. Information is doled out by the author at an agonizing pace, but I never had any thoughts about giving up. As the cases progress, the pace begins to pick up. I was really captivated by that point and shocked at the turn of events when the cases were solved.
Some Goodreads friends read and reviewed this book, and a couple of them went right into the second book. Based on that, I have it here ready to go.
Mike deals with murders. He's very sensitive around crime scenes and is affected deeply by them. He has several to investigate, but gets involved in a stalking case as well.
The book was slow at first. Information is doled out by the author at an agonizing pace, but I never had any thoughts about giving up. As the cases progress, the pace begins to pick up. I was really captivated by that point and shocked at the turn of events when the cases were solved.
Some Goodreads friends read and reviewed this book, and a couple of them went right into the second book. Based on that, I have it here ready to go.
July 6, 2019
Complex, but I never got lost in shifting points of view. Equally mystery-thriller-ish. Lots better than I expected when I started out, when I was afraid it would be too grisly and turned out to be one notch away from that, but for me, fine. I expect to read more of this series.
September 26, 2018
Een echte pageturner!
March 25, 2019
This is the audiobook that I picked up to replace the dud Anatomist's Apprentice that I DNF'ed, and it was MUCH better... but I will admit that some aspects of it, particularly the ending, left me a little torn on how I feel about it as a whole. T'will be spoilerishness, so be warned. :)
My understanding is that this is a debut by this author, and as such, it's a pretty damn good one. The writing was evocative yet straightforward enough for me to enjoy it on both levels. As a police procedural, it walked the line quite well. Some that I've read have been nearly staccato in their tone, and that can be off-putting. This one worked well for me. It reminded me at times of both The Mermaids Singing and the Harry Bosch series, both of which I enjoyed quite a lot, for different reasons.
The characters worked well for me, and I really enjoyed how human they were. I particularly enjoyed the awkwardness of Mike Lockyer in his personal life... his inability to open up and say the things that he KNOWS he should say, but just can't. I identify with this, because I'm not that type either. It's not that I'm "private" per se, it's just that I don't think that everything needs to be said. I hope that the people I love know I love them by the fact that they still hear from me.
I am sure that I come across as vocal and confident on teh interwebz, but believe me when I say that in real life, not so much. I am bad at social stuff. Terrible at small talk, hate being the center of attention, but I'm also not a shrinking violet wallflower type. I'm a conundrum. So it was refreshing to see a main character who was also bad at it, and knew it, and worked with it, and wasn't a caricature of what someone thinks introversion is.
I admit that I definitely did want to see more of Jane in this book. She was absent for large chunks, which was likely a plot convenience intended to get her out of the way for certain pieces to develop, but at the same time, made her definitely more sympathetic to me because of the reason for her absence.
One that I was a bit torn on was Sarah. She's been stalked for 6 months, essentially becoming a prisoner in her own home, trusting nobody and not feeling safe even in her own home. The early descriptions of Sarah, and her ordeal, and her fear, all made perfect sense to me. She's someone definitely existing in a constant state of panic and strain and sleep deprivation, and it shows. She's desperate, at the end of her rope, and unable to cope with the situation anymore, especially since going to the police and basically being brushed off by the typical male cop who's never experienced a single fearful, powerless moment in his life, as basically being hysterical, paranoid, and just needs to ignore the "nuisances". I was super proud of her for getting her nerve up and going to a different precinct and trying again, because I think that A LOT of women would have just given up on trusting the cops for help after that.
But then, after Mike gets personally involved, the turnaround in her is far too sudden. This is a woman that I initially thought would likely never be able to regain her quality of life because of the unending (or so it must seem to her) fear that she lived in for half a year. She'd have serious traumatic stress/PTSD, serious trust issues, etc. And yet, mere days after the arrest of the person believed to be her stalker, and a dinner date with Mike which was, presumably, to go over her legal recourse options, she's practically happy go lucky girl again. I don't think so. This is a woman who, less than a week prior, was practically catatonic with sleep deprivation and pure unadulterated fear, and then she's popping down to the shop to get some Jack Daniels with a little pep in her step. It was just unrealistic.
Not to mention that I was a bit annoyed with Mike for letting himself get involved with her in the first place. She obviously was immensely vulnerable and would latch on to any semblance of safety and security, and he definitely represented that to her. He was the one (or his team anyway) who arrested her stalker, he is a cop, he is an ATTENTIVE cop who actually listened and believed her, and her need to be believed, and to not be made to feel crazy, would have made her practically fall in love with him right there. So the attraction between them was... problematic for me. He should know better.
Of course, love interests in books like these are the thing, so I really shouldn't be surprised. They just annoy me so much, because COME ON. I get that we're all under strain, but if you really care about her well-being, you protect ALL of her, including her emotional fragility. Getting into an ill-advised romantic relationship with the victim in one of your investigations is a recipe for disaster, both personally and professionally.
Anyway... I digress.
I will say that the way that this story is told, in multiple perspectives, definitely threw me for a loop at times. It was never hard to follow, I don't mean it in that way, but at one point I thought that Sarah actually had TWO simultaneous, but unrelated, stalkers. At another point, I thought that there must be a partnership. At another point, perhaps multiple personalities. At the end, it all comes together and makes sense, at least who is who, but I don't really get the killer's motivation for switching his MO to the one he did. It kind of seemed a bit contrived in that aspect, honestly. But getting there, I was totally engaged and interested in the story, so the suspense aspects were on point.
A quick word about the readers - this is jointly read by Karl Prekopp and Imogen Church. He read the "male" perspectives (Mike and the police department officials' chapters, as well as the antagonists' chapters) and she read the "female" ones (Sarah's and the other victims' chapters). This generally was OK, though I much preferred Karl Prekopp's style and tone, but when they overlapped, and Imogen Church had to read Mike... it did NOT work for me. She sounded like a woman trying to sound like a surly man, and that's just not who he was to me. Likewise when she read Jane - she made her much more brisk and businesslike, almost masculinely brusque, than I think she was intended to be, though she is efficient and great at her job. But the story describes her repeatedly as being great at the emotional and sensitive interviews that Mike was so awkward doing. Also, how she read the character of Toni, an Italian woman, probably around 35-40, sounded like a high class British matriarch instead of... an Italian woman. I just didn't care for the way that she read some of the characters, but I think that probably bothered me more in this book than it would have ordinarily because there was another reader who I thought got them more right.
Anyway, this was a pretty good book, especially for a debut, and I definitely could see myself continuing the series one day. I liked the story and the style and the characters, even if they made some really bad decisions along the way.
My understanding is that this is a debut by this author, and as such, it's a pretty damn good one. The writing was evocative yet straightforward enough for me to enjoy it on both levels. As a police procedural, it walked the line quite well. Some that I've read have been nearly staccato in their tone, and that can be off-putting. This one worked well for me. It reminded me at times of both The Mermaids Singing and the Harry Bosch series, both of which I enjoyed quite a lot, for different reasons.
The characters worked well for me, and I really enjoyed how human they were. I particularly enjoyed the awkwardness of Mike Lockyer in his personal life... his inability to open up and say the things that he KNOWS he should say, but just can't. I identify with this, because I'm not that type either. It's not that I'm "private" per se, it's just that I don't think that everything needs to be said. I hope that the people I love know I love them by the fact that they still hear from me.
I am sure that I come across as vocal and confident on teh interwebz, but believe me when I say that in real life, not so much. I am bad at social stuff. Terrible at small talk, hate being the center of attention, but I'm also not a shrinking violet wallflower type. I'm a conundrum. So it was refreshing to see a main character who was also bad at it, and knew it, and worked with it, and wasn't a caricature of what someone thinks introversion is.
I admit that I definitely did want to see more of Jane in this book. She was absent for large chunks, which was likely a plot convenience intended to get her out of the way for certain pieces to develop, but at the same time, made her definitely more sympathetic to me because of the reason for her absence.
One that I was a bit torn on was Sarah. She's been stalked for 6 months, essentially becoming a prisoner in her own home, trusting nobody and not feeling safe even in her own home. The early descriptions of Sarah, and her ordeal, and her fear, all made perfect sense to me. She's someone definitely existing in a constant state of panic and strain and sleep deprivation, and it shows. She's desperate, at the end of her rope, and unable to cope with the situation anymore, especially since going to the police and basically being brushed off by the typical male cop who's never experienced a single fearful, powerless moment in his life, as basically being hysterical, paranoid, and just needs to ignore the "nuisances". I was super proud of her for getting her nerve up and going to a different precinct and trying again, because I think that A LOT of women would have just given up on trusting the cops for help after that.
But then, after Mike gets personally involved, the turnaround in her is far too sudden. This is a woman that I initially thought would likely never be able to regain her quality of life because of the unending (or so it must seem to her) fear that she lived in for half a year. She'd have serious traumatic stress/PTSD, serious trust issues, etc. And yet, mere days after the arrest of the person believed to be her stalker, and a dinner date with Mike which was, presumably, to go over her legal recourse options, she's practically happy go lucky girl again. I don't think so. This is a woman who, less than a week prior, was practically catatonic with sleep deprivation and pure unadulterated fear, and then she's popping down to the shop to get some Jack Daniels with a little pep in her step. It was just unrealistic.
Not to mention that I was a bit annoyed with Mike for letting himself get involved with her in the first place. She obviously was immensely vulnerable and would latch on to any semblance of safety and security, and he definitely represented that to her. He was the one (or his team anyway) who arrested her stalker, he is a cop, he is an ATTENTIVE cop who actually listened and believed her, and her need to be believed, and to not be made to feel crazy, would have made her practically fall in love with him right there. So the attraction between them was... problematic for me. He should know better.
Of course, love interests in books like these are the thing, so I really shouldn't be surprised. They just annoy me so much, because COME ON. I get that we're all under strain, but if you really care about her well-being, you protect ALL of her, including her emotional fragility. Getting into an ill-advised romantic relationship with the victim in one of your investigations is a recipe for disaster, both personally and professionally.
Anyway... I digress.
I will say that the way that this story is told, in multiple perspectives, definitely threw me for a loop at times. It was never hard to follow, I don't mean it in that way, but at one point I thought that Sarah actually had TWO simultaneous, but unrelated, stalkers. At another point, I thought that there must be a partnership. At another point, perhaps multiple personalities. At the end, it all comes together and makes sense, at least who is who, but I don't really get the killer's motivation for switching his MO to the one he did. It kind of seemed a bit contrived in that aspect, honestly. But getting there, I was totally engaged and interested in the story, so the suspense aspects were on point.
A quick word about the readers - this is jointly read by Karl Prekopp and Imogen Church. He read the "male" perspectives (Mike and the police department officials' chapters, as well as the antagonists' chapters) and she read the "female" ones (Sarah's and the other victims' chapters). This generally was OK, though I much preferred Karl Prekopp's style and tone, but when they overlapped, and Imogen Church had to read Mike... it did NOT work for me. She sounded like a woman trying to sound like a surly man, and that's just not who he was to me. Likewise when she read Jane - she made her much more brisk and businesslike, almost masculinely brusque, than I think she was intended to be, though she is efficient and great at her job. But the story describes her repeatedly as being great at the emotional and sensitive interviews that Mike was so awkward doing. Also, how she read the character of Toni, an Italian woman, probably around 35-40, sounded like a high class British matriarch instead of... an Italian woman. I just didn't care for the way that she read some of the characters, but I think that probably bothered me more in this book than it would have ordinarily because there was another reader who I thought got them more right.
Anyway, this was a pretty good book, especially for a debut, and I definitely could see myself continuing the series one day. I liked the story and the style and the characters, even if they made some really bad decisions along the way.
October 19, 2015
I've had this copy sitting on my Kindle for a while and decided to get to it. My regret ... is that I didn't read it sooner!!
This is a terrific debut from Clare Donoghue. A police procedural that had me hooked from beginning to end. Young girls are being found dead just yards away from public areas. Girls that seemingly on the surface may have a common denominator as to why they were targeted. The investigative team comprises of DI Mike Lockyer, a charismatic and charming detective who works in the MIT for a region within London. Working closely with his DS, Jane Bennett, they set out on a path that leads them into dark alleyways and rundown car parks as the body count mounts up. Coupled with the murders is a case of stalking that has left Sarah Grainger, the victim, frightened out of her wits. Bamboozled with relentless phone calls and mysterious notes her world becomes a slow decline into darkness, intense fear and abject misery. Managing to pluck up the courage to take her worries to the police, Lockyer and Bennett ask themselves if the two cases could possibly be linked.
This is a really tightly plotted storyline. Ms Donoghue hardly gives anything away as the book moves along, only giving the reader tiny insights as the suspects are lined up for us to fathom out. Once started I was really reluctant to book this book down; only really doing so to sleep. I had my suspect, I then discounted, only to suspect again! It all culminated in a high octane finish that left me wanting more, so much so, I'm moving onto the next book pretty much straightaway. The ending initimated that there could be more...
To sum up, in the world of police procedurals, I rank this one highly. Recommended.
This is a terrific debut from Clare Donoghue. A police procedural that had me hooked from beginning to end. Young girls are being found dead just yards away from public areas. Girls that seemingly on the surface may have a common denominator as to why they were targeted. The investigative team comprises of DI Mike Lockyer, a charismatic and charming detective who works in the MIT for a region within London. Working closely with his DS, Jane Bennett, they set out on a path that leads them into dark alleyways and rundown car parks as the body count mounts up. Coupled with the murders is a case of stalking that has left Sarah Grainger, the victim, frightened out of her wits. Bamboozled with relentless phone calls and mysterious notes her world becomes a slow decline into darkness, intense fear and abject misery. Managing to pluck up the courage to take her worries to the police, Lockyer and Bennett ask themselves if the two cases could possibly be linked.
This is a really tightly plotted storyline. Ms Donoghue hardly gives anything away as the book moves along, only giving the reader tiny insights as the suspects are lined up for us to fathom out. Once started I was really reluctant to book this book down; only really doing so to sleep. I had my suspect, I then discounted, only to suspect again! It all culminated in a high octane finish that left me wanting more, so much so, I'm moving onto the next book pretty much straightaway. The ending initimated that there could be more...
To sum up, in the world of police procedurals, I rank this one highly. Recommended.
November 12, 2013
Coming 13th March 2014 from Pan MacMillan
Many thanks to the author and publisher for the compelling review copy.
Three women have been found brutally murdered in south London, the victims only feet away from help during each sadistic attack. And the killer is getting braver . . .
So, yet another brilliant debut novel due to hit the shelves next year “Never Look Back” introduces us to DI Mike Lockyer and his team as they investigate a series of murders…and a stalker.
Oh how I love when I get right in at the start of a new series, especially a headstart and especially when they are as good as this one. It was genuinely creepy – I have spent the last few days whilst reading it surreptitiously looking over my shoulder, checking out parked cars in case someone is in them and obsessively drawing the curtains in my house as soon as the sky starts to darken…Just in case you understand.
DI Lockyer is fantastic, I completely fell in love with him. Sidekick Jane shows intelligence and depth and offsets him perfectly…together they delve into a mind of darkness and try and figure out how to stop the slaughter- but both have personal lives that can get in the way.
Meanwhile we also follow Sarah, who is becoming increasingly withdrawn from life having received a number of sinister phone calls, and always having a sense of being watched – the police seemingly able to do nothing, she hides away, finding it harder and harder to leave her sanctuary. Could her world and that of the murder victims be about to collide?
Cleverly written, broken down into days, we watch the investigation, Sarah’s increasing paranoia and DI Lockyer’s struggle to separate his emotions from the practical necessities of chasing a killer…and all the while the disturbing atmosphere builds.
Ms Donoghue writes with a clear eye to the ironic, in a smooth and addictive style, all the while adding substance and clarity to her characters as we get to know them. The final resolution is perhaps one of the best ones I have read lately and with a teaser of what is to come at the end of my beautiful review copy, my chronic impatience has just kicked in once more.
Happy Reading Folks!
Many thanks to the author and publisher for the compelling review copy.
Three women have been found brutally murdered in south London, the victims only feet away from help during each sadistic attack. And the killer is getting braver . . .
So, yet another brilliant debut novel due to hit the shelves next year “Never Look Back” introduces us to DI Mike Lockyer and his team as they investigate a series of murders…and a stalker.
Oh how I love when I get right in at the start of a new series, especially a headstart and especially when they are as good as this one. It was genuinely creepy – I have spent the last few days whilst reading it surreptitiously looking over my shoulder, checking out parked cars in case someone is in them and obsessively drawing the curtains in my house as soon as the sky starts to darken…Just in case you understand.
DI Lockyer is fantastic, I completely fell in love with him. Sidekick Jane shows intelligence and depth and offsets him perfectly…together they delve into a mind of darkness and try and figure out how to stop the slaughter- but both have personal lives that can get in the way.
Meanwhile we also follow Sarah, who is becoming increasingly withdrawn from life having received a number of sinister phone calls, and always having a sense of being watched – the police seemingly able to do nothing, she hides away, finding it harder and harder to leave her sanctuary. Could her world and that of the murder victims be about to collide?
Cleverly written, broken down into days, we watch the investigation, Sarah’s increasing paranoia and DI Lockyer’s struggle to separate his emotions from the practical necessities of chasing a killer…and all the while the disturbing atmosphere builds.
Ms Donoghue writes with a clear eye to the ironic, in a smooth and addictive style, all the while adding substance and clarity to her characters as we get to know them. The final resolution is perhaps one of the best ones I have read lately and with a teaser of what is to come at the end of my beautiful review copy, my chronic impatience has just kicked in once more.
Happy Reading Folks!
February 16, 2016
Been wanting to start this new series for sometime. I enjoyed the writing and some of the set pieces are quite tense and emotionally engaging without resulting to graphic embellishment. Less can be more. I appreciated the plot and the crime team tackling what appears to be a serial killer getting bolder and chosing his victims with more regularity and without leaving DNA evidence.
I especially liked the use of a young man with autism as a character; his condition and behaviour was treated with great understanding. I also shared the DI's frustrations with a potential witness who was unable to give anything other than a bland description and make a generic efit that had everyone believing they knew the suspect.
The book was slow to get going and then collapsed towards the end. I don't know if there was a problem with the plotting as the perpetrator seems at first credible and beyond the suspicions of the police only to make silly errors to compromise his freedom, while the police suddenly realise the suspect in the correct light.
I also found it too great a leap of faith to accept the two major poor decisions of the lead investigator where one alone could have caused his dismissal and both compromised the hunt for the killer.
I did enjoy the relationship between DI Mike Lockyer and his DS, Jane Bennett but again struggled with some of the things he kept from her. The author acknowledges this in the narrative and therefore I assume that the more positive note that the book ends with will be carried into the next books as there are many relationships needing help and scope for the series to grow and flourish.
There is sufficient here to merit further reading. The author has the ability to emotionally engage her readers and hopefully build a trust with a readership who will discover a real talent as they share the journey her characters have started in this interesting first outing.
I especially liked the use of a young man with autism as a character; his condition and behaviour was treated with great understanding. I also shared the DI's frustrations with a potential witness who was unable to give anything other than a bland description and make a generic efit that had everyone believing they knew the suspect.
The book was slow to get going and then collapsed towards the end. I don't know if there was a problem with the plotting as the perpetrator seems at first credible and beyond the suspicions of the police only to make silly errors to compromise his freedom, while the police suddenly realise the suspect in the correct light.
I also found it too great a leap of faith to accept the two major poor decisions of the lead investigator where one alone could have caused his dismissal and both compromised the hunt for the killer.
I did enjoy the relationship between DI Mike Lockyer and his DS, Jane Bennett but again struggled with some of the things he kept from her. The author acknowledges this in the narrative and therefore I assume that the more positive note that the book ends with will be carried into the next books as there are many relationships needing help and scope for the series to grow and flourish.
There is sufficient here to merit further reading. The author has the ability to emotionally engage her readers and hopefully build a trust with a readership who will discover a real talent as they share the journey her characters have started in this interesting first outing.
November 26, 2015
I'd really thought this one would be a four star, but the fate of an attractive character in the gratuitous thriller conclusion quite annoyed me. Till then I quite enjoyed the author's depiction of the detective's different relationships, with his daughter, his autistic brother, & his sergeant. This series probably will be worth following, but there's too much else on my TBR list that appeals more.
September 25, 2016
schitterende debuutthriller van deze schrijfster met goed uitgewerkte personages en vooral voldoende spanning, tot op het einde.
Heb ervan genoten.
Heb ervan genoten.
November 26, 2013
Brilliant Debut Thriller
Never Look Back is the debut thriller novel by Clare Donoghue and what a brilliant debut as this is a book that ticks all the boxes and makes you want to know whodunit. Donoghue keeps you on your toes all the way to the end, there is no telegraphing who the prime suspect should be this is a thoroughly excellent novel.
Detective Inspector Mike Lockyer is head of the Murder and Serious Crime Squad in South East London and he has his hands full with two murders by the same perpetrator when a body is found at the side of a Tesco’s Metro that reminds him of his own daughter Megan. The perpetrator seems to be speeding up when another body appears within a shorter time frame and now it becomes a race between time to find the man and get him off the streets of London.
While the murder investigation is ongoing Sarah Grainger attends Lewisham Police Station to make a complaint that she is being stalked, getting stranger phone calls through the night and she feels like she is always being watched. Detective Sergeant Jane Bennett takes the complaint and gets Lockyer involved as the stalker could very well be their target the perpetrator of the murders.
Things start to spiral out of control for Lockyer when he gets involved with Sarah Grainger while her stalker case is still ongoing and his autistic brother has to be investigated when one of the victim’s ear rings appears in his brother’s room at an assisted living home. He is under pressure for results he needs to finder the murderer as he seems to be toying with the police trying to show that he is far superior to them. Time is running out will he be able to track down the killer in enough time to protect those closest to him. You do not find that answer to that question until the end of the book when he reveals who really is the killer but will he still be able to save his nearest and dearest. The only way to find out is to read the book and take the twist, the turns and psychological warfare on Lockyer, and you will not regret it.
This is a brilliant, exciting and pulsating debut novel by Clare Donoghue and I really cannot wait for her next thriller if this is anything to go by then it will be brilliant.
Never Look Back is the debut thriller novel by Clare Donoghue and what a brilliant debut as this is a book that ticks all the boxes and makes you want to know whodunit. Donoghue keeps you on your toes all the way to the end, there is no telegraphing who the prime suspect should be this is a thoroughly excellent novel.
Detective Inspector Mike Lockyer is head of the Murder and Serious Crime Squad in South East London and he has his hands full with two murders by the same perpetrator when a body is found at the side of a Tesco’s Metro that reminds him of his own daughter Megan. The perpetrator seems to be speeding up when another body appears within a shorter time frame and now it becomes a race between time to find the man and get him off the streets of London.
While the murder investigation is ongoing Sarah Grainger attends Lewisham Police Station to make a complaint that she is being stalked, getting stranger phone calls through the night and she feels like she is always being watched. Detective Sergeant Jane Bennett takes the complaint and gets Lockyer involved as the stalker could very well be their target the perpetrator of the murders.
Things start to spiral out of control for Lockyer when he gets involved with Sarah Grainger while her stalker case is still ongoing and his autistic brother has to be investigated when one of the victim’s ear rings appears in his brother’s room at an assisted living home. He is under pressure for results he needs to finder the murderer as he seems to be toying with the police trying to show that he is far superior to them. Time is running out will he be able to track down the killer in enough time to protect those closest to him. You do not find that answer to that question until the end of the book when he reveals who really is the killer but will he still be able to save his nearest and dearest. The only way to find out is to read the book and take the twist, the turns and psychological warfare on Lockyer, and you will not regret it.
This is a brilliant, exciting and pulsating debut novel by Clare Donoghue and I really cannot wait for her next thriller if this is anything to go by then it will be brilliant.
March 9, 2014
I must admit that on receiving this book to read and review, there was a slight sinking in my heart when I saw the well-worn comparisons to Mark Billingham, Peter Robinson and Peter James. However, never one to be deterred by publicity blurb, I dove in to this debut crime novel with an open mind and was more than pleasantly surprised by what lay within…
From the outset you are plunged into a nightmarish insinuation that this killer has more than a passing resemblance to the resident weirdo killer in The Silence of the Lambs. Crafting his magnum opus in his spare room, that you just know is going to be constructed out of items accrued from his crime scenes. Cut to young woman being violently attacked on a London street and its aftermath, quickly introducing us to the main police protagonists, and straightaway Donoghue has raised the reader’s interest simply and succinctly. This is what you want from a British police procedural- straight in- boom- so loved that. Then, the story spirals out encompassing the miserable day-to-day existence of a previously vivacious woman and her nightmare experience at the hands of a stalker. Donoghue captures perfectly the claustrophobic dread of Sarah’s life from her waking moment under the microscope of her stalker’s eye, and this is very well depicted within the plot. Inevitably, all the facets of the plot intersect nicely, as Sarah’s cries for help are eventually answered by the intervention of DI Mike Lockyer and DS Jane Bennett as her stalker enters their radar, in the course of their murder investigation…
I did like the tight control that Donoghue kept on the pace and gradual unfolding of the plot, never resorting to implausible coincidence and keeping the tension high. I was slightly less sure of the development of the relationship between Lockyer and Sarah, and did raise my eyes to the heavens a little as this came to light, but both characters, carrying their own emotional baggage, were empathetic enough, and this did help overcome the slightly hackneyed nature of their personal interactions. Overall, the characterisation was very good, and Lockyer makes for a good central police character, with more importantly further room for development. He displays all of the central tenets needed by a leading character, and though not quite as charismatic as DI Tom Thorne from Mark Billingham, there are definitely sparks of interest. I’m also hoping that in any future books DS Jane Bennett has a greater part to play as I think she could well be a character to take more of a role from this initial encounter with her.
So to sum up, a more than satisfactory debut of another player in the British police procedural genre. Despite my minor quibble with one aspect of the plot, I would be more than happy to pick up another in the series, and always nice to encounter a new author. Promising stuff.
From the outset you are plunged into a nightmarish insinuation that this killer has more than a passing resemblance to the resident weirdo killer in The Silence of the Lambs. Crafting his magnum opus in his spare room, that you just know is going to be constructed out of items accrued from his crime scenes. Cut to young woman being violently attacked on a London street and its aftermath, quickly introducing us to the main police protagonists, and straightaway Donoghue has raised the reader’s interest simply and succinctly. This is what you want from a British police procedural- straight in- boom- so loved that. Then, the story spirals out encompassing the miserable day-to-day existence of a previously vivacious woman and her nightmare experience at the hands of a stalker. Donoghue captures perfectly the claustrophobic dread of Sarah’s life from her waking moment under the microscope of her stalker’s eye, and this is very well depicted within the plot. Inevitably, all the facets of the plot intersect nicely, as Sarah’s cries for help are eventually answered by the intervention of DI Mike Lockyer and DS Jane Bennett as her stalker enters their radar, in the course of their murder investigation…
I did like the tight control that Donoghue kept on the pace and gradual unfolding of the plot, never resorting to implausible coincidence and keeping the tension high. I was slightly less sure of the development of the relationship between Lockyer and Sarah, and did raise my eyes to the heavens a little as this came to light, but both characters, carrying their own emotional baggage, were empathetic enough, and this did help overcome the slightly hackneyed nature of their personal interactions. Overall, the characterisation was very good, and Lockyer makes for a good central police character, with more importantly further room for development. He displays all of the central tenets needed by a leading character, and though not quite as charismatic as DI Tom Thorne from Mark Billingham, there are definitely sparks of interest. I’m also hoping that in any future books DS Jane Bennett has a greater part to play as I think she could well be a character to take more of a role from this initial encounter with her.
So to sum up, a more than satisfactory debut of another player in the British police procedural genre. Despite my minor quibble with one aspect of the plot, I would be more than happy to pick up another in the series, and always nice to encounter a new author. Promising stuff.
September 10, 2014
Decent for a first book. A little too many cliches than were necessary, especially in respect to Lockyer. But I do like the character and will read more from this author. Based on the final pages, I'm assuming there is more to come from DI Lockyer and his investigative unit. Also, the author did a good job keeping the killer a surprise, at least for me.
August 29, 2020
The first in the series featuring detectives Lockyer and Bennett, the previous one I read was out of sequence. I enjoyed this, typical crime with the murders of several young women to solve, and a stalker to catch. I think the characters will grow with the next book, looking forward to that.
February 25, 2015
I LOVE Mark Billingham books. The way he writes is gritty and to the point. I picked up Clare Donoghue's book as I needed something gritty and a good police procedural book.
Well, when I started this book, I wasn't sure on it. Was slow to start off with, places it got better and I was clicking along as I was reading. I nearly gave up as I thought, where is this going. We're going all over the place, but I carried on and was glad I did. I had a inkling who the killer was, but wasn't confirmed til nearly 5% left to go from the end.
I have the second book to this to read. So I will read more from Ms Donoghue.
Well, when I started this book, I wasn't sure on it. Was slow to start off with, places it got better and I was clicking along as I was reading. I nearly gave up as I thought, where is this going. We're going all over the place, but I carried on and was glad I did. I had a inkling who the killer was, but wasn't confirmed til nearly 5% left to go from the end.
I have the second book to this to read. So I will read more from Ms Donoghue.
September 27, 2018
A good first novel for Ms. Donoghue. Her protagonist, Detective Inspector Mike Lockyer, is an interesting man with plenty of foibles -- some of which get in the way of his actions and ability to see a clear picture as he leads an investigation into the rape and murders of three young women.
The plotting kept the story moving forward. I found it difficult a time or two to place certain details into the focus of the story, but some of that was the author's deliberate misdirection.
I look foward to reading more books in the Lockyer series and hope to find a protagonist who grows emotionally as he learns from his mistakes, both personal and professional.
The plotting kept the story moving forward. I found it difficult a time or two to place certain details into the focus of the story, but some of that was the author's deliberate misdirection.
I look foward to reading more books in the Lockyer series and hope to find a protagonist who grows emotionally as he learns from his mistakes, both personal and professional.
March 28, 2020
First I’ve read by this author and the first in the Mike Lockyer series. It was a decent enough story, but I felt there was something missing. I think that is why I lost interest half way through, as it just wasn’t holding my interest. I really did want to like Mike and Co but they didn’t ‘gel’ with me. Sorry.
March 15, 2016
I've got a new guy! Mike Lockyer, a detective with heart, a troubled family past and a heart on his sleeve way about him. He is just lovely. I really enjoyed this crime novel. First in a series with lots of promise. I didn't guess the ending and it was nicely done all the way through. Creepily but not bloodily good!
November 12, 2013
See THIS version for full review - this version is with the working title "The Watcher" now rectified.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
November 22, 2017
Never Look Back by Clare Donoghue is the first DI Mike Lockyer mystery book. Three women have been brutally murdered in South London while another woman is being stalked and becoming increasingly frightened with detective inspector Mike Lockyer overseeing both cases. An interesting mystery also it seemed a bit slow and drawn out and jumped around a bit between the main case told from the detectives perspective and the stalking case told from the victims perspective. I thought that Sarah's character, the victim of the stalker , came across as a bit silly and needy.
June 25, 2018
If you like police procedure , mystery-crime, with a serial killer on the loose you will enjoy the first in this series of Mike Lockyer.....Really glad I picked up this book and very much looking forward to reading the 2nd book.
April 28, 2019
Good solid start to this series, I look forward to reading more about Mike Lockyer. All set in London, where I live, gave it a sense of familiarity, and with Lockyer not always making the wisest decisions, or being able to properly focus, it had a charming realism for me.
My rating strategy:
5 stars = An all time favourite, I could tell you about this 10 years later.
4 stars = Loved this, really gripping/fun/exciting, will remember long term.
3 stars = Definitely enjoyed, might forget quickly though, but happy to read more by the author.
2 stars = Likely to have some good points, but it didn't properly captivate me.
1 star = Not my cup of tea at all, wouldn't return to the author.
My rating strategy:
5 stars = An all time favourite, I could tell you about this 10 years later.
4 stars = Loved this, really gripping/fun/exciting, will remember long term.
3 stars = Definitely enjoyed, might forget quickly though, but happy to read more by the author.
2 stars = Likely to have some good points, but it didn't properly captivate me.
1 star = Not my cup of tea at all, wouldn't return to the author.
June 3, 2023
Reading this as a woman alone in south east London at night time was a BIT MUCH
August 3, 2014
Sarah has no peace even in her own home. Strange phone calls, shadows in the dark, someone is following her. She has chosen her home with so much love, now her neighborhood is her nightmare. Her home has become her prison. There is no place where she is safe.
Another young woman is scared, there is shadow following her. Debbie thinks it's only her overactive imagination, but soon her worst nightmare comes true.
Three young women are dead. They are all found brutally murdered, no connection between them. DI Mike Lockyer works on the case. Fighting with his own demons, he has to find the murderer. With enough problems in his personal life, he has to follow the leads to find the murderer who kills young women. When the investigation involves members of his own family, the chasing of the cat and mouse begins.
This book I won on Crime Fiction Lover giveaway. It's a debut work of a young author, Clare Donoghue. I must say it is well done. I like the setting, the mystery part is intriguing, mixing one case with another that have nothing in common. The clues are left one by one, leaving enough space to guess the ending. There are turn-overs on almost every page and nothing prepares you for the ending. The violent scenes are chilly, but not too creepy. The main character is another thing. Mike Lockyer is classical anti-hero, never talks about his personal life, no one knows that he has a brother with special needs. He cares for his brother well, which makes him more human. But he never talks about him, even his daughter doesn't know he exists. But one thing is certain, DI Lockyer does his job well, even too well. His job is his life.
The author is compared with several well-established British authors, but I haven't read any of them. I'll change that very soon. All I know, that I read great book, very intriguing story and I'll be looking for other book from this young author in future. If this is a debut book, I'm pretty sure that the others would be even better.
My opinion: 4 / 5.
Another young woman is scared, there is shadow following her. Debbie thinks it's only her overactive imagination, but soon her worst nightmare comes true.
Three young women are dead. They are all found brutally murdered, no connection between them. DI Mike Lockyer works on the case. Fighting with his own demons, he has to find the murderer. With enough problems in his personal life, he has to follow the leads to find the murderer who kills young women. When the investigation involves members of his own family, the chasing of the cat and mouse begins.
This book I won on Crime Fiction Lover giveaway. It's a debut work of a young author, Clare Donoghue. I must say it is well done. I like the setting, the mystery part is intriguing, mixing one case with another that have nothing in common. The clues are left one by one, leaving enough space to guess the ending. There are turn-overs on almost every page and nothing prepares you for the ending. The violent scenes are chilly, but not too creepy. The main character is another thing. Mike Lockyer is classical anti-hero, never talks about his personal life, no one knows that he has a brother with special needs. He cares for his brother well, which makes him more human. But he never talks about him, even his daughter doesn't know he exists. But one thing is certain, DI Lockyer does his job well, even too well. His job is his life.
The author is compared with several well-established British authors, but I haven't read any of them. I'll change that very soon. All I know, that I read great book, very intriguing story and I'll be looking for other book from this young author in future. If this is a debut book, I'm pretty sure that the others would be even better.
My opinion: 4 / 5.
March 9, 2017
This was a sad last book of this yr for me! As much as I liked the main characters I found some faults - the book was too short - deadline approaching fast? the ending felt rushed, the need to have a suspect from the minuscule suspect pool instead just anyone and lastly death of Sarah which wasn't necessary and probably wanted to make up for the shortness and hastiness. To be truthful I would rather have it if Megan or her mother or Bobby were killed instead, this was just too sad.
I will read the next book though but I wish I have picked something just a bit more cheerful - or morbid - to end the year with.
EDIT: I am taking one star after consideration.
I just can't comprehend what the killer had against the detective so had to kill his barely girlfriend who never even had an abortion? this was just too far fetched. If I didn't like the book and atmosphere so much I could have rated it even worse just for being so irritated with the upper mentioned fact. there is more to add but 3 weeks have passed before I remembered to edit my rating and I forgot all I wanted to say, maybe it will come back to me later. I will still continue the series.
I will read the next book though but I wish I have picked something just a bit more cheerful - or morbid - to end the year with.
EDIT: I am taking one star after consideration.
I just can't comprehend what the killer had against the detective so had to kill his barely girlfriend who never even had an abortion? this was just too far fetched. If I didn't like the book and atmosphere so much I could have rated it even worse just for being so irritated with the upper mentioned fact. there is more to add but 3 weeks have passed before I remembered to edit my rating and I forgot all I wanted to say, maybe it will come back to me later. I will still continue the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2015
A friend came across this ARC and knowing my love of all things crime, especially serial killers, sent it to me. I'm really glad she did. This was a new author to me, but I will follow her wherever she goes.
DI Mike Lockyer searches for a London serial killer. So far, the count is up to three. But when the latest victim could be mistaken for his own teenage daughter, he goes into overdrive.
It was a very satisfying book. Mike and DS Jane Bennett are super characters ... tough and very willing to make sure the dead have their say. I got a good long look at DI Lockyer's private life....from an almost ex-wife to his slightly rebellious teenage daughter to his autistic brother he only found 5 years previously when his parents died. I found the bad guys to be credible and a bad-not-so-bad guy who is almost likeable.
I am happy to say this is only the first Lockyer book. I got a sneak look at the second one ...No Place To Die (9781447239345)....Amazon, here I come!
DI Mike Lockyer searches for a London serial killer. So far, the count is up to three. But when the latest victim could be mistaken for his own teenage daughter, he goes into overdrive.
It was a very satisfying book. Mike and DS Jane Bennett are super characters ... tough and very willing to make sure the dead have their say. I got a good long look at DI Lockyer's private life....from an almost ex-wife to his slightly rebellious teenage daughter to his autistic brother he only found 5 years previously when his parents died. I found the bad guys to be credible and a bad-not-so-bad guy who is almost likeable.
I am happy to say this is only the first Lockyer book. I got a sneak look at the second one ...No Place To Die (9781447239345)....Amazon, here I come!
June 3, 2016
This debut novel was a very solid and enjoyable police procedural. The main protagonist, DI Mike Lockyer is a bit of a conundrum though - an excellent copper on the one hand and, on the other, he is uncharacteristically discombobulated when the body of a brutally slain young woman turns up bearing an uncanny resemblance to his daughter. Naturally there are more murders and another young woman is being stalked - are these events related? Solid police work saves the day.
There is much room for further development of Lockyer's character as the series progresses. I enjoyed the book although not as gripping as some. A series that seems to have some promise however.
There is much room for further development of Lockyer's character as the series progresses. I enjoyed the book although not as gripping as some. A series that seems to have some promise however.
March 4, 2015
I'm not sure what to make of this book. At first it seemed engaging enough, but then I started questioning the characters, to the point they were becoming less interesting, not more, as should be the case with a good story.
Approximately 100 pages from the end I almost stopped, when a 'development' between characters took a completely unexpected turn that was beyond plausible, as others have commented. And then the ending left me asking, out loud, what the heck?!
In general I have to say it was disappointing.
Approximately 100 pages from the end I almost stopped, when a 'development' between characters took a completely unexpected turn that was beyond plausible, as others have commented. And then the ending left me asking, out loud, what the heck?!
In general I have to say it was disappointing.
April 11, 2014
Spine-tingling new crime series - Brilliant
A crime series where the characters have a life beyond the plot always sparks my interest and Donoghue has done just that. DI Mike Lockyer and DS Jane Bennett are people who stay in your mind after you close the last page on this brilliantly written, well paced and exciting novel. The tension is matched by the reality of the location and scenario. I can't wait for the next in the series
A crime series where the characters have a life beyond the plot always sparks my interest and Donoghue has done just that. DI Mike Lockyer and DS Jane Bennett are people who stay in your mind after you close the last page on this brilliantly written, well paced and exciting novel. The tension is matched by the reality of the location and scenario. I can't wait for the next in the series
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