The Two O'Clock Boy by Mark Hill

The Two O'Clock Boy 
By Mark Hill
Published by Sphere (Kindle - 22 September 2016; Paperback - 6 April 2017)
ISBN: 978-0751563238 (Paperback)

Publisher's description

TWO CHILDHOOD FRIENDS... ONE BECAME A DETECTIVE... ONE BECAME A KILLER...

One night changed their lives

Thirty years ago, the Longacre Children's Home stood on a London street where once-grand Victorian homes lay derelict. There its children lived in terror of Gordon Tallis, the home's manager.

Cries in the fire and smoke

Then Connor Laird arrived: a frighteningly intense boy who quickly became Tallis' favourite criminal helper. Soon after, destruction befell the Longacre, and the facts of that night have lain buried . . . until today.

A truth both must hide

Now, a mysterious figure, the Two O'Clock Boy, is killing all who grew up there, one by one. DI Ray Drake will do whatever it take to stop the murders - but he will go even further to cover up the truth.

My verdict
Wow, The Two O'Clock Boy is a great start to what is bound to be a brilliant crime series.

Mark Hill has written a gripping & intriguing debut that kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through. It's well written, twisty, well plotted and highly addictive - very difficult to put down and filled with surprises and some unscrupulous characters.

I won't give away any spoilers, but the plot focuses on Longacre Children's Home and a devastating fire 30 years earlier. It switches between the past and present as DI Ray Drake investigates a series of killings linked to the Longacre occupants. The tension builds up as the bodies pile up, and DI Drake is forced to make some difficult decisions that could affect his future and that of his family.

The ending left me reeling - not wise to read it late into the night if you value your sleep! Certainly a book to challenge, make you think and chill you to the bone.

I am very interested to see how this series pans out and where it goes from here. I love the London setting with many familiar landmarks and locations. Looking forward to the next one!

I received an Advance Reader Copy.