This historical mystery is set in London in 1940. Inspector Jago and Constable Craddock are called to the scene when a man is found dead in a van. The pair barely have time to discover cause of death and the victims identity before the van is destroyed by a bomb.

This mystery had good pacing, interesting characters, and plenty of suspects. Jago's experiences in WW1 (where he read Jane Austen in the trenches!) inform the kind of detective he is today. The difficulties of investigating a murder during the Blitz added a layer of tension and confusion that really added to the story.

There are themes of justice, truth, duty, and loyalty. I really enjoyed The Blitz Detective and look forward to the next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alison & Busby for sending me a copy for review.

Mike Hollow’s The Blitz Detective was first published in 2015 but is being reissued by Allison & Busby. I overlooked it first time round but am really pleased to have spotted it this year.

Detective Inspector John Jago of the Metropolitan Police, K Division, is 42 and unmarried. His patch is the East End of London and he’s based in West Ham. The action happens in September 1940, when the Luftwaffe bombed London day after day. I loved that the detective’s name, Jago, is a nod to Arthur Morrison’s 1896 book, A Child of the Jago. Morrison’s Old Jago is an East-end slum, based between Shoreditch High Street and Bethnal Green Road where violent crime is habitual.

The book is incredibly well-researched and packed with detail, e.g. Jago and his assistant, DC Cradock, taking the number 697 trolleybus from the police station to Plaistow High Street. I’d give the period detail 11/10 but I think the writing isn’t quite up to that high standard. When the police visit the printing works, the gatekeeper introduces himself with “Goods in and out, gatekeeper, caretaker and general dogsbody, that’s me.” On the next page, he mentions, as he takes Jago and Cradock to mee the man in charge, “That’s the main store, where we keep the stock.” I’m sorry, but I’m not convinced that someone would volunteer such unsolicited information in real life. Similarly, Jago’s boss, Soper, introduces “Mr A.J. Mitchell from the Ministry of Information”. Really? AJ? Not Alan or Arthur? Surely the man gave his name when introducing himself to Soper?

Billy, a young lad, let himself into the house “because he knew his mum would be out this evening and the house would probably be empty.” Mrs Carson has just been told her husband has been killed at sea. How likely is a grieving widow to go out that night? Jago has breakfast at a local café, “drained the last of his tea, put on his hat and coat, slung his gas mask over his shoulder and set off for the police station.” Without paying? It seems churlish to mention points like this, but the novelist’s job is to make the fictional world so believable that we imagine ourselves there, identifying with the characters. Every time we think “That’s odd. Is that likely in real life?”, we take a step out of that world.

Overall, I’m going to average out the excellent research and the characters’ casual behaviour and give the book four stars. And I will look out for the others in the series. The book isn’t perfect, but it is a page-turner. I want to find out what else Jago gets caught up in.

#TheBlitzDetective #NetGalley

WW2, England, law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation

Very dark, like everywhere in England during The Blitz. Less than twenty years since the Great War, Battle of Gallipoli, and Flu pandemic the British are again assaulted by Germans and it's not just the damages to buildings and roads that is so devastating. Now the overworked police have the murder of a prominent man discovered just before a bomb blast blows the whole crime scene to bits. The characters are well done but there's something just a tiny bit off about the story. Well, it is the beginning of what looks to be an engaging series so I plan to read the others anyway.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Allison & Busby via NetGalley. Thank you!

3.75 stars

An interesting historical mystery debut set in London during the Blitz. At times, this almost reads like a vintage mystery. It features Inspector John Jago, a World War I vet, and his young trainee Cradock.

This is a very atmospheric tale, and gives a great feel of what life felt like during the constant bombardment of the Blitz. Jago is a sympathetic character, more fleshed-out than your average police character. He carries some baggage and some bitterness from his Great War experience, along with other characters, and the fear and melancholy of the second World War makes them wonder how it could possibly be happening again.

But crime still goes on, despite the war, and the story begins when a body is found in a van, identified, and then disappears (is blown to smithereens) during a bombing attack. Jago is also assigned a female American war correspondent, and their exchanges are interesting.

A worthwhile read, although there are several unbelievable coincidences in the storyline. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

War makes a police officer's job much harder! Detective Inspector John Jago, a WW1 veteran with PTSD is just trying to do his job when he and PC Peter Craddock are summoned by an air raid warden to a gruesome scene, a man sitting behind the steering wheel of a cargo truck with his wrists slashed. DI Jago recognizes the man, but before the coroner can be summoned the crime scene is bombed and all the evidence is destroyed. To add to his frustration he's given the task of escorting an American journalist, Dorothy Appleton around London. As the case develops, there are more bodies and Jago learns that Dorothy has her own war experience from her time in Spain in the 1930's and his opinion of her begins to change.

After a series of twists Jago solves the case, but there's justice and there's tragic misunderstandings, and the murder victims had unknown connections. This is the first in a new series and I look forward to the next installment and what the war brings Jago and Dorothy. The story moves fast, it's filled with great characters and the descriptions of London's East End (which suffered greatly from German bombing) really bring the era and people to life. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

How do you solve a murder when all the evidence is destroyed by a bomb from above? That's the question for John Jago and Peter Craddock, our intrepid detectives struggling to figure out who killed Charles Villiers. It's the Blitz. Luckily, to be honest, at least they had a look at Villiers before the bomb landed so they knew they had a victim. As is usually the case in this sort of novel, more than one person had a reason to dislike (but kill?) Villiers. Jago, a WWI veteran, and Craddock, a newbie, make a good team. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a reissue of the first in a series of novels and it makes a fine start.

There seem to be a lot of books that have come out in the past year or so that are set during WW II, and more specifically London/England during the Blitz. The latest that I have read is “The Blitz Detective” by Mike Hollow, a police procedural set in West Ham (in London) during this time.

Our detective is John Jago, who has his own wartime issues stemming from the first World War. His partner is the young, eager, inexperienced DC Pete Cradock, a bit annoying and too simplistic at first but someone who grows on you as the story develops.

And the story is a good one – the police are called to the scene of a murder, staged to look like suicide. Jago recognizes the victim: a local Justice of the Peace, Charles Villiers. Before much can be done about tracking down some evidence, a German bomb blows the whole scene to bits.

So, it’s up to our detectives to piece together who and why, with no real physical evidence. We learn all about life during wartime, and how some people managed to not only survive but also profit from the times they found themselves in, Villiers falling into this latter category. Blackmail, black market, forged papers – these are the areas our protagonists find themselves exploring, while a second murder ups the pressure for a solution.

We also meet some other characters, including an American journalist who tags along and ends up debating philosophy with Jago and becoming a potential romantic interest, and Sergeant Tompkins, who not only provides useful information but also some much-needed levity to the proceedings.

The procedural was well-written and moved along at a slow and steady pace. I think that some of the characters could have been explored a bit deeper, hopefully this will be taken care of as the series progresses. I also thought that the American romantic interest was an unnecessary distraction, and their conversations tended towards the unbelievable (for that time and place in society, I can’t see Jago opening up that readily).

But a good read, and a good start to a series I will follow.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Allison & Busby via NetGalley. Thank you!

JB Priestley in a wonderful book called Delight said that “there are times when we do not want anybody’s social criticism or deep psycho-logical insight or prose poetry or vision of the world: we want a narrative, an artfully contrived tale.” And such narratives he believed were only available in a good detective story! I have never heard of a better description of this genre and my recent read, The Blitz Detective, checked all the boxes to be considered a a good detective story by the maestro himself!


The Blitz Detective by Mike Hollow was first published in 2015 and is the first in the series of 3 books. The novel is set in 1940’s England, West Ham to be exact, just as Germany starts its Blitz, the bombing of London and her suburbs, every night. Detective Inspector John Jago, a veteran of the First War and a tenured detective, who has worked his way from a beat cop, is summoned along with the newly inducted Constable Cradock to investigate a body found lying one of the streets. Though there is no identification on the body, the Detective Inspector recognizes the man, as the local Justice of Peace, Charles Villers and what befuddles the policemen is the fact that it looks like a murder and suicide at the same time. As Jago and Cradock start to dig through the matters, stories emerge and suddenly, it seemed that there was more that met the eye in the case of this particular JP.

This book is published in 2015 but no one, can fault with the atmosphere, the language and the everyday scenes of a nation and her people at war. London in 1940s came alive through the pages, with her bombed out buildings, rationing and politics of rich and poor. Mr. Hollow does a brilliant job of resurrecting the past with in-depth research and small subtleties that makes the novel feel grounded and real. In the creation of character of John Jago, he follows the same grounded approach and tries to create an every man hero. Jago is irritable and is traumatized by the bombs, living through the nightmare of the past, where he survived and many did not. At the same time he is considerate and patient with Cradock, understanding of the follies of people stuck between devil and the deep blue sea and honest enough to apologies for his mistakes. He does not have flash dash style or astounding intelligence, what he is a plodder, who keeps at it until he finds the truth. Craddock is a perfect foil to the senior Jago, looking up to his superior, enthusiastic, and smart enough to not lose temper, when people try to bring him down. The other characters are also deeply etched out and stand on their own merit; my favorites were Charles Viller’s brother and Son. The murder mystery is linear but not boring, there are very few complexities and by the middle, you clearly know that of the few, one should be the murderer so, you are not completely surprised. However the plot is well arched to pull it off and you keep turning the pages; and if the culprit does not take you by surprise, the motives and the fall out does. The only flaw that I found in the book was the introduction of American journalist and I found that angle unnecessary and distracting from the main plot of the book; though it did provide an interesting back story to Jago’s war. However, this is just one strand in this extremely rich attempt to provide a good yarn while being historically accurate, and this success of this remarkable feet makes this book a must read, for those times when you want an artfully contrived tale!

Set during WW2, this book follows a detective as he attempts to solve murders in east London and strikes up a friendship with an American female reporter who is covering the war. The characters are likeable, and this looks to be the start of a promising new series in historical crime mystery.

I am fascinated by the Blitz and how London coped under constant bombardment and Mike Hollow’s debut gives a brilliant introduction to policing during the era of blackouts and air-raid warnings.

1940 East London and veteran of WWI, DI John Jago has spent twenty years policing as part of West Ham CID. With his former DS called back into action his replacement is wet behind the ears DC Peter Cradock who gets a rapid introduction to the job when they attend a deserted van containing a murdered man. Jago suspects the killer was hoping to pass off the murder as suicide but recognises it for what it is and is surprised to discover that he also recognises the victim as local Justice of the Peace and businessman Charles Villiers. Before the medical examiner can even arrive to assess the body a direct hit from a German bomb on both man and van obliterates all evidence. Nevertheless they soon discover the victim had numerous enemies and was perhaps not quite as honourable as he was keen to appear. This is not the only murder in the story and as the investigation branches out from Villier’s printing factory to a shady villain profiteering from the war effort the plot is both coherent and involving, evidencing both the effects of WWI and the reality of the nation facing a second brutal war.

In all honesty the crime element of the novel is pretty straightforward but importantly the motivations behind the crimes are credible and entrenched in both the Great War and WWII and hence very compelling. The overhang of WWI and the traumatic effects on a generation are both recognised and depicted with sincerity and empathy and in DI John Jago, a man that served on the Western Front, Hollow has crafted a sympathetic and realistically jaded detective who is relatable. Told from varying perspectives rather than one I found the result deeply satisfying and appreciated understanding the motivations of those driven to break the law. Given the novel is relatively compact I was impressed at how well drawn the secondary cast were and the Blitz’s effect on the morale of the sleep deprived Londoners is portrayed with clear-eyed honesty. The novel is rich in period detail and mentions some factual events including the Agate Street school bombing tragedy.

DC Cradock becomes more involved and confident as the investigation unfolds and Jago and retired but brought back into service desk sergeant Tompkins ‘educate’ him with wisdom and humour respectively. I did feel the inclusion of American journalist (and possible love interest) Dorothy Appleton shadowing DI Jago added little to the novel. Their deep and meaningful conversations detracted from the more interesting aspect of the crimes, slowed the novel down and on several occasion went over my head! The ease with which Jago, a WWI veteran, discusses his emotions with a woman he barely knows never quite rang true either.

Atmospheric and emotionally involving, The Blitz Detective proved a rewarding and educational novel and I look forward to reading DI John Jago’s future outings and more of this series.

Set in the Second World War, this book does just what you expect - evoke life during the Blitz in London, as a detective endeavours to solve a murder or two.

The characters are generally well portrayed, and while Jago is perhaps a little too smooth, overall he is believable and endearing, particularly when the reader learns more of his experience in the previous conflict. Some of the outliers are a little one-dimensional, and you would like to have known more of their back story to understand why they acted as they did.

The story bowls along, and the reader is left guessing to the end to find out what has really been happening to cause the deaths. Meanwhile there is the background of relentless bombing and shortages, plus the counterpoint of the journalist staying at the Savoy. It was interesting to think that murders were sometimes hidden if the Luftwaffe co-operated and bombed the body to oblivion before it could be investigated!

Overall it was entertaining and enjoyable, and I hope to read more about this character.

Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Allison and Busby, and NetGalley for a copy of The Blitz detective by Mike Hollow. He is a new author for me and I’m sure to look out for the other book in this series.
It’s the night of Saturday 7th September 1940 in West ham, East London. A body is found in a van. Detective John Jago and is new partner DC Cradock quickly get to the scene and examine the body and they recognize him as the part time magistrate and printing company owner Charles Villers. Suddenly a bombing raid occurs, and the body and the evidence go up in smoke when a bomb hit.
As he returns to his office, he is given the task to show American correspondent Dorothy Appleton around. Showing the real Britain and what is going on in the war. While he does this, he seems to form a bond with her. Then another body is found which has connects with Villers, Detective Jago knows he has a serial killer on his hands.
I really enjoyed The Blitz detective. With it’s story line. The author really created the atmosphere of being in London in that time. It had a great plot which flowed easily and kept my attention throughout to the last page. But also, as it was historical fiction and a crime novel rolled into one which is two of my favorite genres. 5 stars from me.

I was really excited about this book when I saw it on Net Galley. The cover looked cool, the story sounded awesome. I mean, what more can one ask for than a detective story that takes place in London during WWII? Ticks a lot of boxes for me!

The book was just okay for me. To be honest, I went in with high hopes, but the story kind of dragged for me. As I mentioned in the review before this, there was suspense which kept me going. This one didn’t really provide that same level of danger and suspense to keep me turning the pages. I’m not sure if I just over-hyped myself, or what.

There were some cool descriptions and interesting characters, though I felt some of the conversations, particularly those between the American journalist and our DI, were a little strange and unbelievable. I can’t exactly put my finger on it. Just seems like they had these deep philosophical conversations when they’d only just met.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This isn't the normal genre that I read, however I really enjoyed it.

I loved the character Detective Inspector John Jago - perceptive and intelligent.

What makes this book differnt is how it paints the picture of the everyday life for Londoners during WW2. I really enjoyed the detail when it described the bombings and it heightened my senses.

I usually judge a book by whether I can sus out who the killer is...but I had no idea and was kept guessing right to the end!!

“The Blitz Detective” is the first in the series of WWII historical mysteries written by Mike Hollow. This one is set in 1940. It was originally published as “Direct Hit.” Several books have followed, and to get a better understanding of Inspector John Jago and his world (and his sidekick, DC Peter Cradock), you really need to start at the beginning.

In the midst of an air raid a body’s found – definitely not one caused by the German bombs. The deceased is a well-known Justice of the Peace. Our opening scenes set the stage; war is definitely hell, and the body disappears in an explosion; another air raid sees to that.

The JP had other business interests. Seems he owned a printing business. A dodgy printing business, maybe. And what does that prologue have to do with anything? I hate prologues. Of course, there are secrets straightaway with the people in this book, and our prologue fellow will have his part to play.

Jago has a female journalist from the States who’s going to be shadowing him for a while to provide “good press,” helpful for international relationships. This is an opportunity for the author to show us a bit more about Jago as he squires Miss Appleton around town. There’s no hint of romance, here, thank goodness; Jago is not a young man. We don’t know much about the detective at this point, other than he fought in the first World War and he’s unmarried. With this comes the battle he is remembering, the one he is waging to get over his wartime experiences. Mike Hollow has us experience this alongside Jago, and it’s a battle indeed, one that warriors have fought through many wars. Later in the book we read a heart-felt story that will prove that Jago has a human side, and it involves Miss Appleton. It helps him in his healing process, which is always a good thing.

Lots of red herrings and shifty characters abound. All of it will keep you as busy as Jago and Cradock in figuring out motive and murderer. In between the scenes of the investigation are the tales of the city’s inhabitants as they go about their lives as the Blitz begins. Much of it is harrowing. Mike Hallow has done his research and provided readers a thought-provoking tale of life in East London during the war, where John Jago works to keep killers off the streets even as the bombs fall.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

The Blitz Detective is based in West Ham during WWII.

Crime is being committed during the air raids, taking advantage of confusion and empty streets, and luckily for the murderer a lack of evidence due to dropped bombs.

Inspector John Jago makes it his mission to solve the murder.

This book wasn't for me, I found the writing bitty and hard to follow. There was a lot of guessing and over explaining which made the reading overly complicated.

“A crime’s still a crime, even if there’s an air raid going on.”

This story explores Detective Inspector Jago and Detective Constable Cradock’s efforts as they attempt to solve a murder case in the chaos of the Blitz in 1940s London.

The main action mainly evolves around the solving of the detective case, but the theme of the Blitz and WW2 is present throughout like a thread that threads the story together. The characters are all impacted by war in one form or another, and this explores the connections between crime and individuals damaged by their war experiences, as well as the difficulties in conducting an investigation when the crime scene is being rained upon by incendiary bombs. Also explored are the different angles on politics, with communist sympathizers, deserters, journalists and those just suffering with what would probably be classified as post-traumatic stress syndrome today. I enjoyed the many angles and Hollow creates a theatrical and authentic scene. I felt the terror when the bombs were raining down and individuals were having to run for cover, and I understood the frustrations where the poor had flimsy waterlogged shelters, and the rich were dining at the Savoy in total peace with barely a noticeable change in their evening as the Nazis pelted the neighborhood with bombs.

I was left a little lacklustered at the ending, which is why I haven’t given this a four star.

I received a free ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This time period/setting of London in World War II seems to be experiencing a resurgence in publishing. I looked forward to this take on the genre. The story was well told and the characters were interesting, I didn't think that I was seeing anything particularly new here. Though I wouldn't discourage historical mystery fans from reading the series, I am not inspired to follow the characters further.

Thank you to Netgalley and Allison and Busby for the ARC of The Blitz Detective.

Always a bit of a sucker for historical fiction and particularly stories set in the war, this one overall was a very enjoyable read. It took me a few chapters before I was comfortable with the main characters but once they hit their stride it was a great read.

I like to judge detective stories on if I can work out who the murderer was, with this one I failed miserably not having the foggiest throughout until caught!

The detail is fantastic and well researched, and offers a great insight into detectives working through the Second World War.

I’d highly recommend this book, and look forward to reading that next in the series

This was surprisingly fun! I'm on something of a war novel kick and I've always loved mysteries so this seemed like a logical request. Matthew Rhys doing the lead anyone?