You Can Run is a bit of a change for Trevor Wood,best known for his excellent Jimmy Mullen series.
Set in a Northumbrian village where a dwindling number of locals,and "outsiders" Alex Winter and his teenage daughter Ruby, live amongst the mostly empty second homes of the rich.

Ruby's is surprised when her normally unsociable Dad invites a stranger into there house........and somewhat more surprised when violence erupts and their visitor ends up in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor. With what appears to be a private army blocking access to the village and searching the village father and daughter attempt to flee. Ruby finds herself alone and having to trust and rely on the locals she's made no attempt to get to know in the past.

This is a very entertaining read ,what might almost be labelled a "Cosy Thriller" as the disparate band of mostly ageing ,and often comical,locals reveal unexpected talents to take on the dark forces in their midst. It does stretch belief more than a bit but it's great fun with a bit of a message thrown in about "the way things are" that hopefully will make readers think a bit, to say any more would be a spoiler.

A great story and something a bit different.

I've seen Trevor Wood books around, but never picked one up before.
Glad I started with this one.
It's quite action packed.
A misfit bunch of characters who band together to fight for what they think is right.
The teenagers talked like I imagine teenagers do.
The adults still had their petty grievances despite lives being at stake, and Margaret.
She was the gift that kept on giving.

Thoroughly enjoyable right to the last page.

You Can Run - Trevor Wood

I'm a big fan of Trevor Wood's Jimmy Mullens trilogy so was eager to read what he came up with next.

You Can Run is set in a small Northumbrian village where teenager Ruby lives with Alex, her reclusive single dad.

A stranger comes to visit, a fight breaks out leaving the stranger bleeding on the kitchen floor. Alex gets captured and Ruby goes on the run.

It's a slightly bizarre action thriller, as Ruby and the villagers are pitted against Alex's armed captors. There are some good scenes and interesting characters, but for me it lacked tension. It felt a little bit YA to me. I missed the depth of character and close bonds between characters of the Jimmy Mullens books.

It was entertaining enough but lacked the tension and thrills to really make it come alive for me as an action thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley and Quercus