#ADGIFTED all thoughts and opinions are my own, I love horror and crime and predominantly choose to read them. A good beachy read though sometimes crosses my path.

A BLOODSTAINED COAT (Raine and Hume Series Book 2) by Stephen Williams

AN ABSOLUTELY GRIPPING CRIME THRILLER WITH AN ASTONISHING TWIST.

A bloodstained coat. Three missing women. One dead body.

Detective Mary Hume reckons she’s seen it all. But she’s never seen anything like this.

It begins with the discovery of a broken body in a lift shaft in an old Victorian warehouse.

The post-mortem reveals the bloodstains on the dead man’s coat belong to three different people. DNA identifies one of them as Julie Cross, whose body was discovered six months earlier, covered in horrifying wounds.

Maverick ex-police officer Raine was hired to look for Julie. She didn’t find Julie in time. But she’s determined to find out who killed her.

So, who does the rest of the blood belong to?

Chalk-and-cheese detective duo Raine and Hume are in a race against time to uncover the truth before more young women die.

Perfect for fans of Mark Billingham, Lynda La Plante, Karin Slaughter, Biba Pearce and Angela Marsons.

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE RAINE & HUME BOOKS:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A novel that just cannot be put down. Incredible writing and a brilliant story.’ Ron B.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What a page turner of a book from start to finish . . . the character Raine is brilliant this is a book I found hard to put down it is that good.’ Deborah B.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Well thought out, well written and, for all the creepiness, has some laughs along the way. A fantastic read.’ Aileen G.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Brilliant read! This was a really creepy read, just what I enjoy. The ending definitely left me wanting more.’ Karen B.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Now this is what I call a crime thriller and so much more. I literally devoured this book in one sitting and I have no nails left . . . This book deserves more than five stars just for pure entertainment.’ Peggy B.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘If I could rate this book with six stars it still wouldn’t be enough. I know it’s subjective, but for me this is the best book I’ve read this year.’ Nigel A.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘With a surprise ending, the author leaves us wanting to know what’s next. This is my first book by this author and I loved it.’ Stacy G.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A good read . . . I was gripped from page one.’ Barbara


⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I absolutely loved this book — which is the first I have read by Stephen Williams but definitely won’t be the last . . . I was gripped from start to finish.’ Lee

MEET THE DETECTIVES
Detective Inspector Mary Hume is in her mid-fifties, a seasoned detective with the Met. She loves her job, but finds the latest technology a challenge. She’s happily married to Robert, practises yoga and watches what she eats. Her friendship with maverick private investigator Raine is fine on the surface — even though Raine’s deep-fried diet fills her with horror — but there are underlying tensions.

Raine is a former police officer turned private investigator. She left the Met in tragic circumstances. She uses irreverent banter and off-colour jokes to cover her quick thinking and sudden flashes of violence. In her mid-thirties, she lives on a houseboat in central London.

ALSO BY STEPHEN WILLIAMS
RAINE & HUME SERIES
Book 1: THE SKIN CODE
Book 2: A BLOODSTAINED COAT

STEPHEN WILLIAMS
Stephen lives in rural North Yorkshire with his family. He splits his time between the brutal beauty of the Dales and the frenetic energy of London. He has written several crime novels, including the international bestseller Tuesday Falling. They also contain some good jokes.
He has also performed at the Leeds Playhouse, devised several ‘pop-up’ theatrical events and written lyrics for bands.

MY REVIEW ooooo one new author again! I’m on a roll here. For this story we have part police procedure and part PI and I don’t think I’ve had a Private Investigator before. So that’s a new one for me, I like the different ways of telling the story. Quite dark and gritty so not as a light as my usual, but highly enjoyable. She definitely takes risks that make you cringe and hide, but she comes out fighting and you’ll be rooting for her. The two main ladies are highly likeable and relatable. Murders are grim and show the dark underbelly of London and crime.