Under the Skin

Ritual Crime Unit #1

by E.E. Richardson

A tough, hard-nosed career officer in the male-dominated world of British policing, DCI Claire Pierce of North Yorkshire Police heads Northern England’s underfunded and understaffed Ritual Crime Unit. Unregarded by the traditional police, struggling with an out-sized caseload, Pierce is about to tackle her most shocking case so far. Following reports of unlicensed shapeshifters running wild in the Dales, DCI Pierce leads a failed raid to capture the skinbinder responsible. While the dust is still settling, a team from Counter Terrorism turns up and takes the case off her. Pursuing the case off the record, she uncovers something murkier and more terrible than she suspected. Has her quarry achieved the impossible and learned to bind human skin?

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Crime, Fiction

97 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 2013

About the author

E.E Richardson is a twenty-two year old cybernetics graduate who now lives as a recluse.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok shortish paranormal thriller about a 50-something British detective inspector whose people are trying to track down someone misusing ritual magic to make shapeshifters. Throughout the story, I was distracted by the point of view character always being referred to by her last name, yet her coworkers were referred to by their first names. It was just enough for me to feel distanced from the story.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good! Reminded me a little of the Shadow Police by Paul Cornell, but mixed in with the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan books by Val McDermid. Very much looking forward to reading the full series.

[pie · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun, but tropey.

[ChocoKraken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book expecting nothing but an intriguing title and finished it pleasantly surprised and craving for the second episode. It is very fluent to read and it doesn't lose itself into pages and pages of nonsense or futile description just to increase the length of the book.
It is a going-through a police supernatural murder series that entwine with the killers' aim of gaining some shapeshifting abilities, all seen by the eyes of the 50 years old cop Claire Pierce (although narration is in 3rd person). A few things to say about this character: fantastic the fact she is not the mainstream teen girl overpowered and so on; I didn't quite buy the fact that she was so self confident to handle difficult situations without the far hint of backup; I did enjoyed her always present "human" background despite her heroic efforts.
No bad things to say beside I can't really figure Leeds police officers being this amazing in real life. 😂

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fluently and competently written, but darker than I usually go for, and with that weary British sense of hopelessness against the system. That doesn't, fortunately, stop the protagonist from doing the right thing despite considerable cost and opposition, which is largely why it got a fourth star from me.

It's shorter than I expected, and finishes abruptly with several things unresolved and on a worrying note. I can see why the author left it that way, though, since tying everything up neatly would have been difficult to pull off believably and also anticlimactic.

Because it's darker than my usual taste, I probably won't look for other books by this author, but if that doesn't bother you, it's well-written and I recommend it.

[Mary Kay Kare · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a really odd book. I didn't particularly like the style and the main character annoyed me a lot. She was told repeatedly by superior officers to stay out of the investigation, but SHE knows better. She has to be the one who wins/solves the mystery. She didn't trust anyone else to do what should be done. Only herself. And she turns out to be right of course. I really don't like that. Also, the author ends with a total cliff-hanger. I resent that. You tie up the ends for that mystery in that book. Anything else is blatant and offensive marketing. That said, it was interesting in its plot and it's use of magic.. Don't think I'll be reading any more though.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who can you trust?

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It's a quick read, but the concepts of skinwalkers and loosely regulated magic, along with an under-staffed police force, were put together in a way that felt different from others. This is the first in a series, and it started off with quite the bang. I look forward to reading more!

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different twist in a police procedural story

I enjoyed this book a lot. Read it in 2 days and plan on reading the next book in the series. Nice to see a female lead who can hold her own even when dealing with shape shifter creatures. Fast paced with lots of action.

[Boneist · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short book, and most of it was already covered in the second book. It was ok, but I thought the second book was better.

[Zoe Tasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that the main character is a woman in her 50s. I rarely see this in urban fantasies.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Way too short - more like a prelude