What do you think?
Rate this book
DS James Ripley #1
Wrong Place, Wrong Time
Anyone can find themselves in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
From the best-selling author of Hide and Seek, comes a gripping crime thriller introducing the characters of DS Ripley and DC Coffey.
Three brothers are carrying out their own form of vigilante justice by executing criminals who have escaped prosecution on technicalities. They have managed to keep their actions hidden until an innocent man finds himself an onlooker to their latest killing.
As the witness struggles to decide who he can trust and where he can turn, Ripley and Coffey may be his only hope, as their investigation of a standard missing person case uncovers a far more sinister story.
As the paths of criminal, vigilante and the police collide, the conspiracy unravels to a shocking conclusion with utterly tragic consequences.
From the best-selling author of Hide and Seek, comes a gripping crime thriller introducing the characters of DS Ripley and DC Coffey.
Three brothers are carrying out their own form of vigilante justice by executing criminals who have escaped prosecution on technicalities. They have managed to keep their actions hidden until an innocent man finds himself an onlooker to their latest killing.
As the witness struggles to decide who he can trust and where he can turn, Ripley and Coffey may be his only hope, as their investigation of a standard missing person case uncovers a far more sinister story.
As the paths of criminal, vigilante and the police collide, the conspiracy unravels to a shocking conclusion with utterly tragic consequences.
190 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2014
1707 people are currently reading
2277 people want to read
About the author
P.S. Brown
3 books66 followersI write psychological thrillers and crime fiction. I'm a ginger night owl that tries his best to avoid sunlight. Akin to a vampire, only I prefer brown sauce to blood. I have no sense of smell which is useful because I douse everything I eat with brown sauce. It also means my surname is quite fitting.
If you would like a notification when my next book is published you can sign up to my mailing list via my website: www.psbrown-author.com
I love hearing from readers. You can contact me via my website or Facebook (www.facebook.com/brownybooks).
If you would like a notification when my next book is published you can sign up to my mailing list via my website: www.psbrown-author.com
I love hearing from readers. You can contact me via my website or Facebook (www.facebook.com/brownybooks).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
September 14, 2021
A great first offering to the DS James Ripley series! With his partner, DC Coffey, the pair work together on a routine missing person investigation and end up involved in something more sinister. Twists and turns and surprises along the way drive the action forward in this book by P S Brown.
I definitely highly recommend and rate it 5 🌟 s!
I definitely highly recommend and rate it 5 🌟 s!
October 30, 2014
Gritty, gripping thriller
When a petty villain is kidnapped and brutally murdered I expected this story to be about the killers being unmasked, and the dead man’s friends getting their revenge, gang warfare, mindless violence and a raft of nasty characters who’d bludgeon and kill each other with alacrity. But, cleverly, Paul Brown went in an entirely unexpected direction, and soon the focus of attention swiftly moves to Mike, the unlucky man who witnessed the heinous crime and wishes he hadn’t.
To go into too much detail might spoil this gripping story, but I can tell you that this unfortunate witness, a sympathetic character, goes through a living hell in his quest to balance ‘doing the right thing’ with simply surviving. The men whom he knows are the killers have contacts everywhere, and as his life spirals out of control, Mike is driven closer and closer to desperation, fervently wishing that he hadn’t seen what he’d seen, or more crucially, and that his tormentors had not been able to find out who he was.
It’s a tough story populated by characters who leap off the page and almost literally grab you by the throat. Does the poor innocent witness get through the experience unscathed? You’ll have to read the book to find out. The man and woman police duo who eventually get to the root of the problem are an endearing pair, and as they get closer to the truth the action peps up and the bloodbath escalates until the gripping conclusion, where lives are ripped apart as every man fights for himself.
I’d say it’s a white-knuckle ride of a read, where morality takes a back seat, and survival is the only game in town. I can highly recommend it.
When a petty villain is kidnapped and brutally murdered I expected this story to be about the killers being unmasked, and the dead man’s friends getting their revenge, gang warfare, mindless violence and a raft of nasty characters who’d bludgeon and kill each other with alacrity. But, cleverly, Paul Brown went in an entirely unexpected direction, and soon the focus of attention swiftly moves to Mike, the unlucky man who witnessed the heinous crime and wishes he hadn’t.
To go into too much detail might spoil this gripping story, but I can tell you that this unfortunate witness, a sympathetic character, goes through a living hell in his quest to balance ‘doing the right thing’ with simply surviving. The men whom he knows are the killers have contacts everywhere, and as his life spirals out of control, Mike is driven closer and closer to desperation, fervently wishing that he hadn’t seen what he’d seen, or more crucially, and that his tormentors had not been able to find out who he was.
It’s a tough story populated by characters who leap off the page and almost literally grab you by the throat. Does the poor innocent witness get through the experience unscathed? You’ll have to read the book to find out. The man and woman police duo who eventually get to the root of the problem are an endearing pair, and as they get closer to the truth the action peps up and the bloodbath escalates until the gripping conclusion, where lives are ripped apart as every man fights for himself.
I’d say it’s a white-knuckle ride of a read, where morality takes a back seat, and survival is the only game in town. I can highly recommend it.
May 25, 2021
Touted as a psychological thriller but this may be a little over the top of a description.
The plot was good.... vigilante cops... will they be outed. Innocent victim is a witness, with previous police engagement, who just happens to be in...you guessed it .... the wrong place at the wrong time when he witnesses the vigilante cops completing a cold blooded murder. Just about anything can happen from there. However, the delivery falls flat.
I read about a quarter of this book, but when I came back to it a couple of days later, none of it was memorable, so I started again. Even picking up and putting down the book in the same day left me wondering where I’d left off. There was just not enough for me to sink my teeth into and to otherwise grab on to. So I decided I better read it all in one sitting if I’m going to get anything out of this book.
The many characters are not well developed, and even the main ones are ...well...shallow. The narratives are bland, lacking in details, and are more like stating facts or reaching conclusions without filling in between pieces. There is little in the way of riveting spoken exchanges, dialogue was weak, yet somehow the story keeps moving and presses you to read on. Even at that the story is a long stretch from reality. The vigilante cops I’m sure exist but the manner in which the “good cops” handled this seemed a long way from convincing. I understand it’s fiction but it still needs a reality check.
So I guess this story did have some redeeming qualities.....it was ok but certainly not great. If you like a quick read that doesn’t send your inquisitive brain off searching in a number of directions then this might fit the bill. I may give this author another try only after I’ve read something with a little more substance.
The plot was good.... vigilante cops... will they be outed. Innocent victim is a witness, with previous police engagement, who just happens to be in...you guessed it .... the wrong place at the wrong time when he witnesses the vigilante cops completing a cold blooded murder. Just about anything can happen from there. However, the delivery falls flat.
I read about a quarter of this book, but when I came back to it a couple of days later, none of it was memorable, so I started again. Even picking up and putting down the book in the same day left me wondering where I’d left off. There was just not enough for me to sink my teeth into and to otherwise grab on to. So I decided I better read it all in one sitting if I’m going to get anything out of this book.
The many characters are not well developed, and even the main ones are ...well...shallow. The narratives are bland, lacking in details, and are more like stating facts or reaching conclusions without filling in between pieces. There is little in the way of riveting spoken exchanges, dialogue was weak, yet somehow the story keeps moving and presses you to read on. Even at that the story is a long stretch from reality. The vigilante cops I’m sure exist but the manner in which the “good cops” handled this seemed a long way from convincing. I understand it’s fiction but it still needs a reality check.
So I guess this story did have some redeeming qualities.....it was ok but certainly not great. If you like a quick read that doesn’t send your inquisitive brain off searching in a number of directions then this might fit the bill. I may give this author another try only after I’ve read something with a little more substance.
April 10, 2019
The author takes readers into a conspiracy when DS James Ripley and DC take on an investigation they think is the average case of a missing person. They find themselves caught up in a psychological thriller. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will definitely be looking at the others.
April 13, 2020
Now that was worth a read! Tragic figure alcoholic Mike, 7 months into sobriety, witnesses three policemen committing murder. The story spirals from there. Mike fears for his own life, realizing that the men were able to identify him by his car. Mike tries to do what is right while protecting himself and his loved ones. Meanwhile, DS Ripley and his partner Coffey are investigating missing persons, and soon are wrapped up in Mike's situation. The story is quick paced and interesting. The only knocks are the end of the story...I really don't like things left up in the air. I feel there should have been a resolution. And secondly, leaving the wife and daughter alive is really outside the bounds of reality. Had Lee expected to get away cleanly, he could not leave witnesses. Despite those facts, it is well worth the time to read this story and I am eager to read more.
March 10, 2015
DS Ripley investigates a missing persons case which turns out to be a vigilante killer case.
I liked the concept of this- police gone vigilante, unwitting witness etc. However, the reality is that it just didn't quite deliver. It's set up North which is my neck of the woods- I liked this. It is well written in the main, with a couple of exceptions (see below about commas).
It seemed like the reader was supposed to question who was in the wrong in this kind of case, and whether it was okay to kill horrible criminals, because the killers were brothers with good intentions, the informant was a wife beating alcoholic, and one of the criminals was secretly nice. But there just wasn't any depth to the vigilante brothers or their motive, so they just ended up seeming like the bad guys, and the end result was just a lack of conviction overall.
It also seemed like the plot wasn't really thought through. Would they really have taken their victim to be murdered, in their police car? Why would they have tried to murder Mike once he had already told everything he knew? That would just draw more attention to them. And why would a murdering child sex trafficker leave two witnesses un-murdered, so they could shop him to the cops?
I wasn't expecting such an unresolved ending either, but that might be me not paying attention to the advertising.
There were some annoying grammatical omissions too. It's 'come and help me, Mark' with a comma, not 'come and help me Mark'. Saw this mistake loads.
Overall, reasonably good, quite light, and an okay read but nothing to write home about.
I liked the concept of this- police gone vigilante, unwitting witness etc. However, the reality is that it just didn't quite deliver. It's set up North which is my neck of the woods- I liked this. It is well written in the main, with a couple of exceptions (see below about commas).
It seemed like the reader was supposed to question who was in the wrong in this kind of case, and whether it was okay to kill horrible criminals, because the killers were brothers with good intentions, the informant was a wife beating alcoholic, and one of the criminals was secretly nice. But there just wasn't any depth to the vigilante brothers or their motive, so they just ended up seeming like the bad guys, and the end result was just a lack of conviction overall.
It also seemed like the plot wasn't really thought through. Would they really have taken their victim to be murdered, in their police car? Why would they have tried to murder Mike once he had already told everything he knew? That would just draw more attention to them. And why would a murdering child sex trafficker leave two witnesses un-murdered, so they could shop him to the cops?
I wasn't expecting such an unresolved ending either, but that might be me not paying attention to the advertising.
There were some annoying grammatical omissions too. It's 'come and help me, Mark' with a comma, not 'come and help me Mark'. Saw this mistake loads.
Overall, reasonably good, quite light, and an okay read but nothing to write home about.
July 28, 2019
This is a wonderful book with so much excitement. I really enjoyed every part of the book with no down time. I want to read more of this series and more books from this author. I love the character's and how they related to each other. A great book to read!
March 5, 2015
A good read, gritty and seemed like it was more realistic than many in the same genre......wasn't sure what to expect, but I found myself liking it more and more as I read...... I enjoyed it!
April 9, 2017
got this of goodreads giveaways and really liked it and will be looking out for the next instalment
January 13, 2019
Good read!
A great read . Very different to the normal cops and robbers books with a great twist and an ending I didn't see coming!!
A great read . Very different to the normal cops and robbers books with a great twist and an ending I didn't see coming!!
January 29, 2019
Gripping
Excellent introduction to the main characters and agree that suits fans of Angela Marsons. Fast paced and doesn't hold back on drama.
Excellent introduction to the main characters and agree that suits fans of Angela Marsons. Fast paced and doesn't hold back on drama.
July 23, 2019
Riveting read
I found it riveting reading. Found hard to put down. Good storyline and the plot was great. Very enjoyable time.
I found it riveting reading. Found hard to put down. Good storyline and the plot was great. Very enjoyable time.
July 25, 2019
Thrilling
It was a very thrilling and enduring book to read it was making you think who was was it was hard to put down
It was a very thrilling and enduring book to read it was making you think who was was it was hard to put down
October 7, 2021
This was a free kindle book. It was a pretty good police procedural type of story. Now I will tell you that I hate books where you find out in the end that the villain was a police officer. Don’t worry. In this story you find out right at the beginning that the police department is dirty. Then the story changes from ‘who did it’ to ‘how do they catch them’.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2020
Good easy read worth a look
Nicely written and easy to read I like a book you can put down and
Pick up again without losing the thread. Enjoyed this one now into book 2. Definitely worth a read
Nicely written and easy to read I like a book you can put down and
Pick up again without losing the thread. Enjoyed this one now into book 2. Definitely worth a read
August 18, 2022
I finished it but did not care for it
August 14, 2019
A good read
Not what I thought it might be interested in, but a good read all the same, good to see it carry on into the next book.
Not what I thought it might be interested in, but a good read all the same, good to see it carry on into the next book.
June 1, 2020
This is a great we know who done it.
P.S. Brown turns this book into a real page turner halfway through the story. He does a great 👍job laying the foundation for what becomes a very hard book to put down at just the right time. Sorry, any further details I cannot give as the story is that good and must be read to be appreciated. As a policeman in the 1960s take it from me it is the best of it's theme I have ever had the pleasure to read.
P.S. Brown turns this book into a real page turner halfway through the story. He does a great 👍job laying the foundation for what becomes a very hard book to put down at just the right time. Sorry, any further details I cannot give as the story is that good and must be read to be appreciated. As a policeman in the 1960s take it from me it is the best of it's theme I have ever had the pleasure to read.
March 26, 2017
My first book on my kindle app. Really enjoyed it and will definitely read more by this author.
May 29, 2019
Gripping
Wow what a read , I've enjoyed getting to know Coffey and Ripley and how their partnership together on the force is building . I can't wait to read the second book and see if they ever get to the bottom of the case . I highly recommend this book ,my review doesn't do it justice but I don't want to give anything away it's a great psychological,crime thriller written by a fab author .
Wow what a read , I've enjoyed getting to know Coffey and Ripley and how their partnership together on the force is building . I can't wait to read the second book and see if they ever get to the bottom of the case . I highly recommend this book ,my review doesn't do it justice but I don't want to give anything away it's a great psychological,crime thriller written by a fab author .
May 26, 2019
A great read
I enjoyed this book very much it got better and better the more I travelled along with the story definitely recommend everyone who enjoys a good a good guy bad guy story
I enjoyed this book very much it got better and better the more I travelled along with the story definitely recommend everyone who enjoys a good a good guy bad guy story
May 26, 2019
A little gem!
What an amazing book to read. This was full of excitement and kept you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. It was really well written and builds to an awesome climax! I can't wait to read more in the series.
What an amazing book to read. This was full of excitement and kept you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. It was really well written and builds to an awesome climax! I can't wait to read more in the series.
December 22, 2014
When a petty villain is kidnapped and brutally murdered I expected this story to be about the killers being unmasked, and the dead man’s friends getting their revenge, gang warfare, mindless violence and a raft of nasty characters who’d bludgeon and kill each other with alacrity. But, cleverly, Paul Brown went in an entirely unexpected direction, and soon the focus of attention swiftly moves to Mike, the unlucky man who witnessed the heinous crime and wishes he hadn’t.
To go into too much detail might spoil this gripping story, but I can tell you that this unfortunate witness, a sympathetic character, goes through a living hell in his quest to balance ‘doing the right thing’ with simply surviving. The men whom he knows are the killers have contacts everywhere, and as his life spirals out of control, Mike is driven closer and closer to desperation, fervently wishing that he hadn’t seen what he’d seen, or more crucially, and that his tormentors had not been able to find out who he was.
It’s a tough story populated by characters who leap off the page and almost literally grab you by the throat. Does the poor innocent witness get through the experience unscathed? You’ll have to read the book to find out. The man and woman police duo who eventually get to the root of the problem are an endearing pair, and as they get closer to the truth the action peps up and the bloodbath escalates until the gripping conclusion, where lives are ripped apart as every man fights for himself.
I’d say it’s a white-knuckle ride of a read, where morality takes a back seat, and survival is the only game in town. I can highly recommend it.
To go into too much detail might spoil this gripping story, but I can tell you that this unfortunate witness, a sympathetic character, goes through a living hell in his quest to balance ‘doing the right thing’ with simply surviving. The men whom he knows are the killers have contacts everywhere, and as his life spirals out of control, Mike is driven closer and closer to desperation, fervently wishing that he hadn’t seen what he’d seen, or more crucially, and that his tormentors had not been able to find out who he was.
It’s a tough story populated by characters who leap off the page and almost literally grab you by the throat. Does the poor innocent witness get through the experience unscathed? You’ll have to read the book to find out. The man and woman police duo who eventually get to the root of the problem are an endearing pair, and as they get closer to the truth the action peps up and the bloodbath escalates until the gripping conclusion, where lives are ripped apart as every man fights for himself.
I’d say it’s a white-knuckle ride of a read, where morality takes a back seat, and survival is the only game in town. I can highly recommend it.
February 6, 2015
“Anyone can find themselves in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
From the best-selling author of Hide and Seek, comes a gripping crime thriller introducing the characters of DS Ripley and DC Coffey.
Three brothers are carrying out their own form of vigilante justice by executing criminals who have escaped prosecution on technicalities. They have managed to keep their actions hidden until an innocent man finds himself an onlooker to their latest killing.
As the witness struggles to decide who he can trust and where he can turn, Ripley and Coffey may be his only hope, as their investigation of a standard missing person case uncovers a far more sinister story.
As the paths of criminal, vigilante and the police collide, the conspiracy unravels to a shocking conclusion with utterly tragic consequences.”
This was an incredible, awesome read. I finished it in less than 9 hours! A wonderful GREAT one day read. There’s drama, crime, police intervention – although you do know who the criminals are --- and you’re left in wonder and doubt at the end. And you’ll be cautious as to whose good and whose bad probably for the rest of your life! Any one enjoying the television series Chicago P.D. won’t be able to put the book down, along with anyone enjoy a suspenseful mystery! Off to go find the author’s other book he’s written!
From the best-selling author of Hide and Seek, comes a gripping crime thriller introducing the characters of DS Ripley and DC Coffey.
Three brothers are carrying out their own form of vigilante justice by executing criminals who have escaped prosecution on technicalities. They have managed to keep their actions hidden until an innocent man finds himself an onlooker to their latest killing.
As the witness struggles to decide who he can trust and where he can turn, Ripley and Coffey may be his only hope, as their investigation of a standard missing person case uncovers a far more sinister story.
As the paths of criminal, vigilante and the police collide, the conspiracy unravels to a shocking conclusion with utterly tragic consequences.”
This was an incredible, awesome read. I finished it in less than 9 hours! A wonderful GREAT one day read. There’s drama, crime, police intervention – although you do know who the criminals are --- and you’re left in wonder and doubt at the end. And you’ll be cautious as to whose good and whose bad probably for the rest of your life! Any one enjoying the television series Chicago P.D. won’t be able to put the book down, along with anyone enjoy a suspenseful mystery! Off to go find the author’s other book he’s written!
September 10, 2016
This was a cracking story. However, I've knocked it down a star due to his lack of commas. So many, many times they were needed and weren't utilised and it got beyond irritating. His first book didn't have this going on at all so I don't know what's changed.
"You mean you don't know who we are Gavin ?"
"Besides he had seen too many movies"...
"....but he never showed up man"
"Go back to sleep gorgeous"
"....can you call me please"
"Well I can't have it Mike"
"Here take Abigail"
There were loads more and they were very, very distracting.
He used start and not started and even and not ever, missed the apostrophe in moment's, used collusion and not collision but he DID get discernible spelt correctly in this one, though !!
There were a couple of real shocking moments and I liked the fact that not all the ends were tied up so we know they'll hopefully pick up where they left off in this story in the second instalment.
Although I hope that in the meantime he reads up on punctuation !!
"You mean you don't know who we are Gavin ?"
"Besides he had seen too many movies"...
"....but he never showed up man"
"Go back to sleep gorgeous"
"....can you call me please"
"Well I can't have it Mike"
"Here take Abigail"
There were loads more and they were very, very distracting.
He used start and not started and even and not ever, missed the apostrophe in moment's, used collusion and not collision but he DID get discernible spelt correctly in this one, though !!
There were a couple of real shocking moments and I liked the fact that not all the ends were tied up so we know they'll hopefully pick up where they left off in this story in the second instalment.
Although I hope that in the meantime he reads up on punctuation !!
January 27, 2015
I have been very fortunate to recieve a free copy of this book free from ‘Goodreads First Reads’.
I have not read P S Brown’s first book yet and so did not know what to expect but I can honestly say that it was a most enjoyable read and I found it hard to put down. Ripley and Coffey, as partners, went well together and I shall look forward to more interaction with them in books to come. The connection between the vigilante brothers was very realistic and I could imagine them having this ending in preference to any other. Mike, well what can I say – wrong place, wrong time. All in all a great read.
I have not read P S Brown’s first book yet and so did not know what to expect but I can honestly say that it was a most enjoyable read and I found it hard to put down. Ripley and Coffey, as partners, went well together and I shall look forward to more interaction with them in books to come. The connection between the vigilante brothers was very realistic and I could imagine them having this ending in preference to any other. Mike, well what can I say – wrong place, wrong time. All in all a great read.
January 29, 2018
A suspense filled police drama involving a vigilante group within the force murdering criminals who, for one reason or another, have escaped justice or punishment.
It definitely had me rapidly turning the pages and avoiding household chores to finish reading it. The story is not yet complete even though this book had a proper ending, there's still much more to find out. Like how far the conspiracy of vigilantism has spread through the police force and who exactly is involved. I will be reading the next book to find out if the central characters of Ripley and Coffey can find the remainder of the vigilantes without getting themselves eliminated in the process.
It definitely had me rapidly turning the pages and avoiding household chores to finish reading it. The story is not yet complete even though this book had a proper ending, there's still much more to find out. Like how far the conspiracy of vigilantism has spread through the police force and who exactly is involved. I will be reading the next book to find out if the central characters of Ripley and Coffey can find the remainder of the vigilantes without getting themselves eliminated in the process.
October 17, 2018
"It must be me"
I was intrigued by the premise of this book and the opening chapters didn't disappoint. It's always my policy to ignore the number of reviews and the rating spread that a book has received - so as not to be influenced by what's gone before. In the vast majority of cases I find my review doesn't jibe with the overall opinion. It must be me on this one. I've rated it as 3* because if almost 500 people think it's good, then I must have got it wrong. All I will say is that I've read books that gave me goosebumps that have struggled to find 10 people prepared to write a review. I'm at a loss to explain it.
I was intrigued by the premise of this book and the opening chapters didn't disappoint. It's always my policy to ignore the number of reviews and the rating spread that a book has received - so as not to be influenced by what's gone before. In the vast majority of cases I find my review doesn't jibe with the overall opinion. It must be me on this one. I've rated it as 3* because if almost 500 people think it's good, then I must have got it wrong. All I will say is that I've read books that gave me goosebumps that have struggled to find 10 people prepared to write a review. I'm at a loss to explain it.
May 14, 2019
A thrilling yarn
Just finished a rambling story about war in Afghanistan and was glad this story kept me enthralled. Good plot and difficult to put down. I liked the buddy relationship between Ripley and Coffey
Just finished a rambling story about war in Afghanistan and was glad this story kept me enthralled. Good plot and difficult to put down. I liked the buddy relationship between Ripley and Coffey
January 8, 2015
An interesting baseline to a story - you see something that is wrong & for some reason fail to do anything about it. I felt that somehow the author did not make the most of this idea and the conclusion was rather weak.
Be prepared for some late nights because each chapter ends in suspense & so the reader is tempted to read on & on.
My only criticism was that surely it was not beyond the wit of the author to name four brothers something other than : Matthew, Mark, Luke & John!
Be prepared for some late nights because each chapter ends in suspense & so the reader is tempted to read on & on.
My only criticism was that surely it was not beyond the wit of the author to name four brothers something other than : Matthew, Mark, Luke & John!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews