Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

The Blow Out - Bill Rogers

The author Bill Rogers is a new one for me and I will read more of his work.. I feel that I am missing a lot of background information on the main protagonist and other characters.

This is a well written crime novel based around Senior Investigator Jo Stuart of Manchester's NCA (National Crime Agency). The main protagonist appears to have a rather reckless side to her nature but she absolutely has a knack for seeing what others miss. I really don't want to do a synopsis of the book as their are plenty of them out there already.

I'll finish by advising that you begin this series from the beginning don't do as I did and jump in at the end.

Read for an honest review. Thank you Bill Rogers, Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK

Really enjoyed this. Well written with a gripping plot that kept me turning the pages.

Will have to read books 1-3 now :o)

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A very good police procedural with the main character on secondment. This is book 4 and I have read book 3 but must seek out the other two to get a deeper insight into the back story of the recurring characters. It is well written, with an unusual crime / method and I would recommend to others.

A gangster newly released from prison is murdered before the daughter of his main rival is kidnapped. Is she kidnapped for revenge? SI Jo Stuart is tasked with solving the crimes before a gang war breaks out.

The books in the series are all good police procedurals with interesting characters and plenty of red herrings.

I never really get into these kind of thrillers, but I was surprised it wasn’t that bad. It’s crisp, clean, and the plotgrabs you. I haven’t read his other books but it wasn’t hard to pick up where others have left off.

it seems a long time since I read Bill’s last book and I couldn’t really remember much about Jo Stuart. However, once I started it did come back to me and what a cracking read this is.

It starts off with a drug baron being shot and he dies from a poison pellet, then a rival drug dealers daughter is kidnapped and to all intents and purposes it looks like a gang war, until someone else is shot with a deadly chemical, and they are not related in any way.

It is a race against time for Jo and her team before anyone else is murdered.

My immediate thoughts, and also I see Bill thought the same, is the Russian poisonings that took place here in the UK this year. How strange, has Mr Rogers got foresight!!??

Well it certainly was a different sort of crime story, good solid police work and most enjoyable as always. Hope Bill’s next book will be almost no soon.

My thanks to Bill & Netgalley for the ARC.

Not my usual genre but this book had me gripped throughout. Will be looking out for more of the same!

Although I have read and totally enjoyed the other novels by Bill Rogers , I could not get into the storyline of this one, I found it very disappointing

Another nail biting instalment in this fast paced, gritty series in what is probably Joanne' s most complex case yet.

I received this book as a review copy from Netgalley, with this being the third book of the National Crime Agency series that I have now read. As with the previous books I was not disappointed. SI Jo Stuart and the team bound along at 100 miles an hour seemingly never taking a break. DC Whittle is a good addition to the team and she has quite humorous conversations with SI Stuart when they are alone. I won’t spoil anyone’s reading by dropping any spoilers just to say the book gives no real clues till about two thirds in. The author has an excellent support team as the issues regarding police procedures are referenced throughout.

I have read quite a few books by this author and this one didn't disappoint. It was bang up to date with the M.O. What was thought to be a simple wasp sting turns out to be much more. Joanne Stuart and her team certainly have their work cut out especially with the first victim being a gangland boss, the last thing they want is revenge killings especially since they themselves have no idea who the killer is and also little to go on. There are lots of different aspects to the book and I enjoyed reading it,

I highly recommend this thriller. People are being murdered with a deadly poison and the Manchester police are on high alert due to the method of killing. DI Jo Stuart is an extremely capable detective and has a great team to work with. There are so many suspects to be eliminated that it will definitely
keep you guessing until near the end of the story. A 12 year old girl has also been kidnapped and
this event has ties to the murder investigation. This is book 4 in the series which I was unaware of but
want to read the other ones now. Bill Rogers is a wonderful storyteller and I will be looking forward to
his future books. Thank you.

A good all round detective book, sorry I have not read the previous ones, I am sure that there is plenty I have missed. I would recommend that you start at book 1 to fully enjoy the series.

A well written crime thriller. It is about Senior Investigator Jo Stuart who needs to solve a crime. I will read more of Bill Rogers.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for this copy.

Amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end.
Well written which kept me captivated throughout.
I will definitely be reading other books by this author

The Blow Out is the latest book in the SI Jo Stuart series which is based in Manchester.

The story starts with the death of a recently released Manchester Drug Dealer who had been shot a few days earlier without realising it.

As the bodies mount up Stuart and her colleagues come under serious pressure to find the perpetrator but what is the link between the victims?

The author has written a number of books based in the Manchester area and his local knowledge is well used to add authenticity

While this book can be read as a standalone I would recommend that you read the other books in he series for enjoyment as they are all very good

Recommended

A police procedural that never gets boring (as it often does in real life), and the first victim is a criminal himself.
Very good plot and story, well written and fluid language as well as very interesting characters.
A very good book.

This is book four of the series so, you could do yourself a favour and read the first three before starting this one. The main story contained within is stand alone though so you could jump straight in, but the previous ones have, in my opinion, all been cracking reads and, if you don't, you do miss out on some character development and backstory.
So, this book veers a little away from the NCA as it has SI Jo Stuart seconded back to the GMP to lead an investigation. As you can imagine, this move does put a few people's noses out of joint so she is immediately a bit wary and has to try and juggle her task with keeping her colleagues on her side.
The investigation she has been tasked with is the killing of gangster Ronnie O'Neill and deal with the fallout from that which will inevitably follow. Fears are founded when the 12yo daughter of O'Neill's main rival is snatched and it becomes a race against time to solve the murder and get the child back before things escalate further. And then another baddie is killed in a similar way...
As with previous books in this series, this hit the ground running and didn't let up until the very end. As well as dealing with investigating the crime, Jo is still trying to unravel a previous relationship, continue a new one and move house. She does have a lot on her plate. But she is gutsy and tenacious and a good judge of character and how to treat people so she has the skills to make all her juggling balls stay in the air, mostly.
I loved the MO in this book, both for its execution (see what I did there) and the way the team had to work to investigate it. It really was a bit of a nifty way to off someone and made for an interesting foray into the work of the clandestine services in their efforts to keep the country as safe as they can.
Jo as always was a bit of a superwoman but, although some did have small parts to play, I did miss the rest of the team a bit. That said, the majority of the previous books have centred on Jo so it wasn't too much removed from them. She has a good way of investigating and usually manages not to rub people up the wrong way although she is also no fan of slackers. She has a way of coaxing people which is very effective. But, she also knows her limits and when to ask for help and advice and who to ask it of. Overall, she is tough but fair and that makes for a good character in my book.
As with the majority of books of this genre, we initially have a wide suspect pool which gets added to and subtracted from as the investigation proceeds and more of the motive comes out. Yes, once the why was discovered, the who was a little easy but, in context, the narrative flowed along very well and smoothly and kept me on my toes for the majority.
All in all, a good addition to a now well established series. One which, along with the author's Tom Caton series, I have no hesitation in recommending to fans of the genre. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the eARC.
Senior Investigator Jo Stuart is tasked with looking into the death of drug lord Ronnie O'Neill. The manner of his killing is a strange one: he was shot with a pellet gun, the pellet was filled with ricin and in a matter of a few days he was dead. Shortly thereafter the 12-year old daughter of another drug kingpin is kidnapped. Ronnie's son is suspected of the crime in retaliation for his father's murder, but vehemently denied it. More murders follow, all with same MO. It's a tough case to crack and there's a lot of pressure on Jo and her team to deliver the perpetrator(s). On top of that, she's split up with her partner, is selling their home and has met a new love interest.
It's a good police procedural, well written with quite an interesting mystery, but somehow I found it a bit of a dry read and didn't really feel connected to the characters. I'm in the minority here judging by the excellent reviews and therefore recommend this book to fans of British police procedural featuring a very present way of killing.