procedural, thriller, law-enforcement, lawyers, series, suspense, suspicion, action, twisty, England, cross-purposes, undercover, detective, murder-investigation, murder, grief, isolation, widower, friction, friendship, unputdownable*****

Being on the force will age and twist a person in unimaginable ways. It's a miracle that Barnes can hold on to whatever sanity he can through this mad series of events, betrayals, and more. The publisher's blurb is pretty good, and there's no sense in trying to summarize the plot. This is a great read and I plan to read the previous book soon! I only wish it was available on audio.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Joffe Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Beachy Head, the second novel to feature ADI Rutherford Barnes of Sussex Police.

James Reeve is on trial for the one punch manslaughter of his girlfriend Mandy’s abusive ex-husband. Nobody thinks he will be found guilty and most wonder why he was put on trial, so why would he punch a security guard and escape? It’s a question Acting DI Barnes has to answer to help in finding the escapee. Then a body is found murdered in the sea off Beachy Head.

I enjoyed Beachy Head to a point as it is a tense, multi stranded read, but it is long and has a host of characters to keep up with. I felt that I did ok trying to place who fitted where, but that went out the window with the final explanations of who did what. Firstly I will say that the author pulls off a massive twist at the start of these explanations that took me by complete surprise, but it’s all downhill from there. I got totally lost in who did what and why and my main takeaway was a lot of effort for almost no return, especially when one of my favourite characters doesn’t make it. I was very disappointed by the ending.

The journey to this ending, however, is worth making as it is action packed, tense, exciting and fast moving. It held my attention, even if I didn’t see how all the strands would come together, as there is always something going on. It is told from the investigative point of view with several voices contributing, which is good as it keeps the reader guessing.

I have come to the conclusion after two novels that I don’t particularly like Rutherford Barnes. I don’t get the impression that he is particularly organised and there are enough loose threads to think that he doesn’t have all the bases covered. I fully understand that this reflects the realities of modern day policing with budget cuts, staff shortages and pressure to do the same job for less, but I want more from my fictional detectives and expect them to be close to superheroes. 3.5*

Great plot to get yourself lost in. This book has everything. A real fast paced thriller. Will get your heart racing on more than one occasion. Very well written. Highly recommend this book

What started as a civil dispute between an ex husband and his wife's new boyfriend becomes manslaughter, as one punch changes a large group of lives.

Returning from a long suspension, DS Barnes is given a poisoned chalice of a case - to prosecute the new boyfriend for his crime, regardless of the public opinion. However, when a twist appears in the case and the accused disappears, Barnes is faced with a case that may be even more complex than he first expected.

This is a 3* book for me - the pacing is a tad slow and I didn't find myself rooting for any of the characters to come out on top.

DS/ADI Rutherford Barnes #2
3.5 rounded up

It’s 2005 and Barnes is back from a long suspension, is promoted to DS then swiftly to acting DI but he’s given a poison chalice of a case with a one punch homicide. Mandy Luiz is woken by her drunk ex-husband Tommy Gayle who is hammering on her door and issuing threats, yet again. Her new partner James Reeves arrives home, attempts to pacify him but Tom is up for a fight. They end up in an alleyway next to Mandy‘s house where James, an upright citizen and a firefighter, throws one punch, Tommy falls to the ground and hits his head on the pavement. He seems okay but suffers a brain haemorrhage and dies in hospital. The CPS decide to prosecute James for manslaughter and let the jury decide if his actions are justified . However, the court case takes a very dramatic turn which stuns all. Of course, it’s never just one case is it? Woven into this increasingly drama fuelled case, there are murders and corruption to say nothing of drugs. It’s certainly action packed.

The novel is a bit slow initially as there are several plot strands and it’s quite detailed. It becomes increasingly complex and convoluted but it’s not difficult to follow. It’s certainly an intriguing case and as it is written by a police officer you know the procedure is accurate although not all of the behaviour is what you’d necessarily expect!

In this second novel you get to know Barnes a lot more than in book one. There’s more in-depth character development perhaps as the author gets to understand his creation better as a consequence so do the readers. He certainly not dull! There are a lot of characters both in several aspects of the law and on the other side of it which does get a bit dazzling and overwhelming at times.

The setting in and around Eastbourne is excellent as it allows the author to utilise locations creatively and dramatically.

Whilst this is the second in the series it can be read as a standalone but it does help you to understand Barnes better if you have read book one.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Joffre Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

A fast paced, delightfully twisty police procedural. This is the second in the series but I read it as a stand-alone with no problems. Mayhem, manhunts and mysteries with enough twists and turns to keep my turning the pages but not too complex that I got too lost. The characters were believable and I was really rooting for the good guys to come out the winners. Thanks for a free ARC in exchange for my review. Highly recommend

This book gripped me right from the start and was twisty and unpredictable, it left me on the edge of my seat not knowing what to expect or what would happen.

This is #2 in the Detective Rutherford Barnes series but can easily be read as a standalone.

Mandy’s violent ex turns up outside her house late one night, clearly spoiling for a fight. Fortunately, Mandy’s new partner, retained firefighter James Reeve, arrives home just in time and Mandy hears a single thud. James has punched the ex who then fell and banged his head. He’s carted off to hospital where he then suffers a complication and dies.

The case comes to court but surely James is bound to be acquitted under the circumstances? We’ll never know because he suddenly whacks the security guard, vaults the screens and makes a run for it.

Then the twists and turns start, and the case is far more complicated than anyone could’ve imagined. I followed the complex plot but did get a bit confused by all the background characters, although that could just be me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Set in 2005, along the south coast of England and featuring DI Barnes, this is a well plotted police procedural. The characterisation is excellent, some likeable, especially Barnes! The plot is in depth but easy to follow and well thought out with attention to detail and plenty twists. This can be read as a stand alone but I would recommend reading the previous book in the series for background information on Barnes. I think the author has another winner with this enjoyable read, which I recommend to lovers of the genre. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC

A domestic abuse case goes spectacularly wrong in BEACHY HEAD, the second in the excellent Rutherford Barnes series, written by Adam Lyndon, a serving police officer with twenty years CID and investigation experience.

When Mandy’s drunken husband Tommy causes yet another nighttime disturbance, her partner firefighter James Reeve confronts him and, in the struggle, knocks him to the sidewalk. At first, the head injury appears minor but then Tommy dies in the hospital and James is charged with manslaughter. It’s a weak case for the prosecution but Barnes’ boss wants him to handle it. Then unexpected developments put the case on the front pages and lead Barnes and his team into a complicated plot involving murder, drugs and corruption.

Lyndon’s dark, well plotted police procedurals are engaging and atmospheric. Barnes comes alive as intelligent and ambitious. The members of his team are well described, especially PC Riaz. BEACHY HEAD is not a quick read nor is it intended to be. It is a detailed mystery that you sink into and one that makes you eager to see what happens next. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Joffe Books and Adam Lyndon

The book is written as a police procedural each book has a different case but the same detective we follow him case-by-case. If you like Ian Rankin's inspector rebus I have a feeling you will be interested in detective Burns. I want to continue reading onto the next book.

A new author to me and the title interested me as fairly local and, of course, Beachy Head has its own reputation.
Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. I found it hard to get through the beginning of the book, which felt quite slow. I read to the end and enjoyed the plot. However, I wasn't really drawn in by the characters, who didnt feel particularly well defined as there seemed to be a lot of different police officers mentioned and didn't like so much use of jargon, especially as the acronyms weren't always obvious. This felt more like the idea for a TV drama than a novel. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read it. Pleasant enough but didn't leave me wanting more.

This story is like a machine with so many moving parts. You don't see what they do and how it all works together until the end. And the end is a twist that you won't see coming! The characters are well developed. You've got personalities and motivations that have subtext to them. You've got corruption, people who are not who or what they appear to be, love, loss and the pursuit of the truth. Just when you think that the story has lines that have no link, it clicks. This conclusion is a wonderful masterpiece - it is genius! I love the way the story grabs you and pulls you along! I will follow this author!

A very complicated story - is Rutherford Barnes being set up for a fall. He was suspended over four hundred and seventy days and when he turns suddenly he's promoted to Detective Sergeant and given a 'poisoned chalice' case which just gets murkier and murkier. Also I read it while the 2022 Eastbourne airshow was on - which features in the book and being a recent addition to Eastbourne it was nice to recognise some of the area described.

A very good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

I chose this book initially because it was written by a working police officer, and because I like police procedurals. Barnes is not getting along with his wife, but then she's killed in a traffic accident. He is temporarily promoted to DI, and there are so many cases that need his attention. A man on trial for manslaughter skips out before the end of the trial--was someone on the inside helping him? Are the cops, as they say, bent? A woman is murdered while the police look on. Someone gets past hospital security, injures a nurse and an officer, and kills a murderer. This is a very dark book, and it did make me wonder how much of the novel was drawn from personal experience. Three and a half stars, rounded down from four because it had a cliffhanger ending, which I dislike. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.