Cold Press

Anna Burgin #1

by David Bradwell

It's the winter of 1993, and Clare Woodbrook is the enigmatic head of the Special Investigations Department at Britain's leading daily tabloid. Her exposés are legendary, but she's not without her enemies. Now, on the verge of unveiling her biggest ever scoop, she arranges to meet her researcher Danny Churchill, to reveal all over lunch.

But Clare never shows, and later that night her car is found abandoned on the hard shoulder of the M25. Worse still, the police investigation is being headed up by DCI Graham March - the embodiment of police corruption and the subject of one of Clare's current investigations.

Danny sets out to find Clare, and enlists the help of his spiky flatmate - fashion photographer Anna Burgin. But they soon realise that nobody can be trusted - especially the police. As the search becomes ever more desperate, suddenly their own lives are very much on the line.

David Bradwell is a former winner of the PPA British Magazine Writer of the Year Award and has written for publications as diverse as Smash Hits and the Sunday Times. Cold Press is his first novel.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Ebooks

338 pages, ebook

First published May 13, 2017

About the author

Hi, I'm David Bradwell, author of the Anna Burgin series of mystery thrillers.

I'm based in Hitchin in Hertfordshire in the UK, although I'm originally from the north east. When I'm not writing the series (which largely involves lots of late nights and candles) I run a hosiery retail company and - when opportunity permits - indulge in a bit of screen acting.

If you like the books, or indeed have any feedback, good or bad, please let me know. I'd love to hear from you.

Reviews

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this by joining the author’s Advance Reading Team, having bought and read the novella “In the Frame”, which introduces the lead characters, but you can safely start with this one. Cold Press actually was his first book, as he explains in the afterword, which he first wrote in 1993, but he only got round to publishing it in 2016, after a substantial rewrite, after a successful career as a journalist. He then decided to continue Anna & Danny’s story as a series, and book 3 has just been published.

Journalist Danny Churchill is living his dream, working in the Special Investigations Unit of a major English tabloid newspaper with his mentor Claire, on whom he has had a major crush for years. They have been working on a story about a corrupt senior police officer, DCI March, and it is nearly ready for publication when Claire suddenly receives a call then rushes out to a secret meeting, telling Danny she will explain everything over lunch. She fails to show up, and, increasingly panicked, Danny looks everywhere then reluctantly returns home, where his flatmate, young fashion photographer Anna Burgin, agrees to help him investigate her disappearance. There follows an intense week of rushing around the country, and beyond, following a trail of bewildering clues, trying to both elude the increasingly suspicious March and avoid joining the rising body count.

I enjoyed this - both the early 90s London setting (I wondered about the reasons for this, and whether it served the plot to have the action occur before the days of cellphones, internet and omnipresent surveillance cameras; the author explains he decided to leave it in that decade to make the most of the retro details), and the characters of Danny, humble, naive, idealistic and loyal, and Anna, sarky, impulsive, brave and hopelessly in love with her best friend Danny...
I found myself experiencing their frustration as they are led on a treasure hunt by the mysterious Lisa, sending clues but never telling them why, and never knowing who they can trust. The reveal, in good old fashioned Agatha Christie style, has the antagonist explaining everything in a remote country house, (which was apt as Anna often jokingly calls Danny ‘Poirot’) but the epilogue finishes things off nicely.

This one is currently free from the author’s website, highly recommended.

[Sharon A Crosby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

Made it to 29% and it is a boring run around. Not my mind of writing. Waste of my time.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a 4.5 star read.

A fast paced, action packed, riveting read that was so good that I've now downloaded the next 2 books.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never picked up anything by David Bradwell before, but I will be coming back for more. It was gripping, it made me want to keep picking it up just to see what happened next, it was complex without being too confusing, I loved it

[Mike Elphick · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a cute love story?

This novel reads more like a fun love story than the "gripping mystery thriller" promised in its promotion. The only people killed are two-dimensional bad guys. We learn more about the cars they drive than the motivations for the killings. The author writes in tabloid press style, with lots of short words and short sentences. That's okay because it usually leads to high readership. And it is the style used by Hemingway and all my favorite pulp-fiction writers. However, unlike those authors, Bradwell didn't write a fast-paced page turner. And unlike the great mystery writers, his stuff is rambling and disjointed. Part of the problem is that he alternates between third person and first person narration. Also, he keeps stopping to review the whodunit scenario--giving us revised lists of suspects after one has been killed or has behaved in an unexpected way. So there is very little suspense. The most likely suspects, of course, are the ones with significant character development. This is definitely not a cliffhanger. Apparently it is the first book in a series. I don't think I shall buy any of the others--though they are attractively priced.

[Siti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like to download free ebooks in genuine book sites from various writers I have never heard of. I stick to my favourite genres: thriller, investigation, rom-com and some historical romances.

I have a penchant for unusual, non-cliche titles. And many times I stumbled across interesting gems.

Like this one. Simple straightforward writing style. A number of long-winded sentences. But the plot and the twist, I like it 👍🏼

[Ted Tayler · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Weekend supplement"

I enjoy a quick read. Maybe that's why a daily newspaper with a hundred articles on varied topics appeals to me rather than the more in-depth items produced at the weekends. I enjoyed the first half of this story, then it became a chore. The explanation of Clare's mysterious disappearance and the events that followed was so far-fetched it really could have been written for one of the more salacious red-tops. Sometimes, less is more and keeping things simple pays.

[Lucie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very predictable ending... Also not a fan of the writing, almost feels like the author had many ideas, wrote them in the book but then decided to go another way.

[Ruth A Calvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with Sharon Crosby. (but the start was good) DId drag out a lot. I skipped many pages. I think the author just needed to fill space.

[Krys · Rating 2 out of 5]

It didn't matter how many times I tried, I just could not get into this story.

To begin with, not only are the characters all very one dimensional, but the story-line manages to be both implausible and hard to follow. The hard to follow part is easy to explain - this story bounces around between different points of view without warning. Sometimes even within the same chapter. It made it hard to keep track of just who was telling the story.

What makes it implausible is the way two people can just completely take over a police investigation and people just give them information when they have nothing to go on. Time and time again, Danny and Anna go places and question people in relation to a police matter and people never ask them why. There are some real problems when it comes to the handling of confidential information, and I just couldn't get past it. A bed and breakfast owner gives out information on a former guest? And lets them search their room? A "secure" mail facility gives someone access more than once without proper ID? Even with the "cat and mouse" game that was supposedly going on, it seemed entirely way too easy for these two to gain access to information they should never have seen.

And then there was the ending. Which I had hoped would redeem this story. Nope. And while I am sure there are others who will love this story, it just was not for me.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

[Jeff King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great follow-up from the prequel building a great will they or won't they relationship between the two central characters Anna and Danny. Anna is a feisty filly full of bravery for her petite size and Danny is an intelligent and thoughtful journalist who is determined to get to the bottom of the story. Anna is a great foil to him. Danny's boss Clare is a great central character for the book. The story races up and down the country and leaves you quite breathless at times but determined to stay the course as you want to know what happens next. Thoroughly absorbing and very inventive it builds really well to a crescendo of a climax that will have you gasping for air. David Bradwell has made a very promising start to his career as an author and deserves to be followed and supported.

[Amy Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for free on my kindle. I enjoyed it a little, it definitely isn't my favourite book. I feel that the characters were always in their car travelling here there and back again, and to be honest it felt a bit laboured and repetitive. I also wasn't impressed by the ending, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. It was a good book to pass the time but it took me a while to finish, I forced myself to finish this as I got to 70% and didn't want to discard it. As it took me longer than usual to read, I forgot a lot of the characters names which led to some confusion with the elaborate theories the main characters were coming up with. As I mentioned this was free so I didn't mind it not being the most amazing read in the world.

[Cid Herman]

COLD PRESS has everything I adore about great British mysteries!

This book has everything that makes me love a good British Mystery.

COLD PRESS Is a complicated mystery with two thoroughly likeable, witty, charming, characters searching for a missing journalist. It has laugh out loud moments and lots of action and dangerous situations, as the two sleuths follow a trail of clues left for them by a mystery woman.

I am an American and the further I got into it, the more hilarious and charming I felt the uniquely English sarcasm and expressions to be. I started reading parts out loud to my husband which is always a sign I am really engaged with the story.

This is a great mystery. I recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery with a little humor, and characters they can really root for and fall in love with. Kudos to the author, David Bradwell! He is a class act and someone who I will never tire of reading.

I suspect there will be comments about language but the "F" bombs are sparse, totally appropriate for the circumstances, and almost always accompanied by an apology from the character who uttered them. There is a fair amount of misogyny, countered by accomplished, strong female characters. There is zero sex and a sweet budding romance.

There will also be people who felt there were too many characters or clues, or who had trouble following the story. I get that. It is a complicated, very complex mystery that will require the reader to pay attention, in order to follow the clues; I was so engaged, I never felt lost. I couldn't tear myself away. True mystery fans will love COLD PRESS

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this quite a complex read. Full of mystery with twists and turns at every corner, perhaps too many. Because of this I didn't feel as though there was any suspense, nothing was really drawing me in and keeping my interest. Like putting a jigsaw together and finding a few pieces but they don't fit, then misplacing a few more along the way. Basically nothing seemed to be coming together.....and then it does....then doesn't. Frustrating! Danny Churchill is a trainee Investigative Journalist and it would have been interesting to know how his colleagues felt about the disappearance of his boss Clare. Not enough detail in some parts and a bit too repetative in others. He did seem to come out as the main character, with Anna ( his best friend and photographer) as his side kick. My interest and concentration did start to lag a little bit towards the middle but once I managed to get further on it did pick up and turned out to be quite a good ending. Overall I found it a fair read but it needed a bit more punch. Great for those who can keep up with a twisty and unpredictable story line.

[TrishAM · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read by David Bradwell and I must admit that it kept me guessing from the first page to the last.
Danny Churchill is a trainee investigative journalist, assistant to Clare Woodbrook , very emminent and well known in journalistic world.
Anna Burgin is Danny's flatmate and would be girlfriend (unknown to Danny)
When Clare disappears Danny is distraught and starts a campaign to find her, to this end he enlists the help of Anna who is more than willing to be spending more time with Danny and perhaps earning brownie points.
The story twists and turns in so many directions, there are so many red herrings I was left guessing who was on which side and who were the good cops.
The body count escalates and the lives of Danny and Anna are very much in danger.
This is a long book but in my opinion most of it is relevant, there was a big surprise toward the end of the book, I was a little disappointed with the ending but it obviously leads gently into another story .

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clare Woodbrook is the enigmatic head of the Special Investigations Department at Britain's leading daily tabloid.She has made a few enemies in her line of work. Now her abandoned car is found but she is missing on the eve of her biggest story yet. DCI Graham March is heading up the investigation in her case. The police corruption is part of Clare's story. Danny Churchill, Clare's researcher decides he will go and look for Clare with the help of his feisty roommate Anna Burgin. Soon, they find they have bitten off more than they can chew and are in danger also. Can DCI Graham find Clare and keep her co-workers safe? Who can be trusted and who cannot? You will have to read the book and judge for yourself. I would like to thank Hidden Gems Books for the opportunity to voluntarily review this book.

[Linda Stabile · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reporter goes missing. Her assistant goes looking for her.....that’s how the story begins. Clare is a brilliant reporter and her assistant, Danny, is in awe of her. Mystery surrounds her stories and then one day she says she will meet Danny for lunch, then just disappears. Danny and his roommate, Anna, set out on a wild, dangerous search for her. This is an action packed, thrilling, page turning, read with twists and turns at every step. I had an idea about what was happening, but definitely did not figure it out until the book ended. I didn’t want to put it down. Great read highly recommended.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great mystery by David Bradwell, and yes, it was very gripping, as you didn't know exactly what the truth was nor who was being honest and truthful, and who was telling lies. It definitely had several sub-stories trying to percolate within it, from scandal, betrayal, and even a love story of sorts. The reader is definitely led on a different path than what the crime appears to be on the surface, and this little twist was done in such a way as to let the reader feel the intensity and suspense. This is a voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Hidden Gems.

[Margo James · Rating 4 out of 5]

You don't have to be Poorly to solve this one.

The beginning was brilliant. After the mystery of Clare began, the story stalled about a third of the way in. Too many misdirections totally meant to confuse the reader. The apperance of a 'guardian angel' gave away the truth behind the smoke screens. The end got exciting for a couple of pages, but since the plot was already revealed it was almost anticlimactic. I enjoyed the case that was made against the police chief. Would have liked to have read the news article on that. Pretty good read, except for the over usage of certain words.

[Eileen l Rizvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant read, free download for honest review and appraisal of book.

This was a lovely read that flowed nicely from Danny and his roommate trying to find his boss Clare gone missing, always twists coming at you, huge twist ending OMG
Did not see coming and author just wrote book with a nice flow into each twist and no dragging at all in story which was refreshing
Took me longer to finish this week due to kids but it was nail biting to put down and very addictive to keep reading I’m so delighted I finished last 1/3 today.
New author to my list very impressed

[Chris B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A first novel which, apparently after extensive rewriting, reads like it. A bit long winded and (despite what the author claims) I suspect set in 1993 simply to avoid things such as ubiquitous mobile phones, email, easy internet access, widespread CCTV etc which would have made the somewhat implausible plot much more difficult to sustain. Still, I kept reading to the end - and hopefully the author got better as s/he wrote more (I know that 'David Bradwell' has an extensive bio on the web, and this may be entirely true, but I have some suspicions...)

[Bruce Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. I like to be entertained without having to think to much and David writes in a clear no-nonsense style that pushes you onto the next chapter. Nothing is quite as it appears to be and there are some good clues left along the way. The use of point-of-view is well done, although there is a lot of recapping.

Anna and Danny are the two personable main characters of the tale although Anna’s crush on Danny became a bit overbearing, it will be interesting to see how that is ultimately resolved in the next book in the series. Recommended.

[dorothy keefe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold Press a gripping thriller

This title just jumped at me. Having lived for twentyone years with the press as a bedfellow i recognized the quirks being used with Clare And Danny! And all the characters as they emerged fit the story so well! Reading it was like walking a tightrope to places unknown and finding the story intriguing. Any of the characters could be someone i had met. the trail to truth more complex than truth itself!

[p garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journalistic Maze

A top notch investigative journalist disappears. Her devoted assistant teams up with his photographer housemate and using the skills she carefully taught him follows a trail leading to dirty cops, art thieves and a final destination that will surprise even die-hard mystery fans. Bradwell spins a tale that will leave you unable to believe that anything really is what it appears to be. You just can't wait to see what or who will appear or disappear next.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery is filled with a complex storyline, two great and personable primary characters and several well defined lesser characters. I definitely did not guess the solution and throughly enjoyed the many twists that led to that solution. I highly recommend it and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given review.

[Trish Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an 'okay' book but nothing more as far too long-winded. The story should have been a lot shorter and made a lot sharper by definition as so many twists and turns, I was beginning to feel like I was on a merry-go-round. Don't think I will bother with the next one, which is a shame as it could have been quite a good series as basic concept was fine, just didn't need all the superfluous extra pages!

[Antigone Walsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Missing Journalist

A beautiful successful journalist disappears under troubling circumstances. Her worried and bewildered protege and his female photographer flat mate have no confidence in the crooked cop in charge of the investigation. They commence their own investigation which leads them deep into a web of betrayal and deceit.

This is an okay book. None of the characters are particularly interesting or likable. It drags on and ends predictably. Was not enthused.

[Ann Armstrong · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed the book. There were moments where the plot seemed implausible. But I really liked the character development of Anna Burgin. She is a quirky and complex person. She is a great foil to her room mate, Danny Churchill. A pleasant read so I read “Out of the Red” right after to learn more about Anna and Danny.

[Kate Cherrett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really struggled to finish this book. I didn't like with switch from 1st person to 3rd person narrative nor did I care for the way the plot unfolded. While the plot line started out quite intriguing it soon morphed into a slog through the inane and totally unbelievable. Maybe an adolescent would enjoy the read I'm afraid I didn't - sorry!

[Lora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Did NOT see that coming! Excellent book with a plot that had me as confused as Danny and Anna were. The complex plot had me coming up with more theories than the characters did, and none were correct. Really a well written mystery with an abundance of characters that were very human, and in some cases very evil. I highly recommend this book.