Jack Be Nimble

My first thoughts were just that, "not another Jack the Ripper rehash," but past experience with Adam Croft’s books is to keep an open mind and I wasn't disappointed. It certainly is a reworking of a "Jack the Ripper" copycat killer but told in an exciting way. Knight and Culverhouse seem thwarted at every turn and despite the killer's claim that modern policing hasn't significantly advanced since the Victorian era they (no spoilers) was proven wrong and despite the use of technology it’s still the ability to analyse and draw conclusions that ultimately solve the crime.

I have to admit, I'm hooked on Knight & Culverhouse - there are a few 'police procedurals' from new, (to me at least) Amazon authors and Adam Croft has got a great thing going...........the characters are very well drawn - I feel I know DCI Jack Culverhouse personally and empathise with the emotional 'stuff' he's trying to deal with in a typical bloke fashion - i.e. not at all! The dramatic return of someone from his past, (don't want to be a spoiler), is brilliantly written and weaves in and out of the book in a way that creates more questions than answers - and leaves a lot of loose end for the next volume!!! I just hope I don't have to wait too long for it.DS Wendy Knight is becoming clearer as a character as well - from her tendency to some OCD behaviour to her general disdain for Culverhouse and his methods, her character is much more sharply observed in this story and they could well be heading for some sort of bust up - more please!!!!The 'baddie' hasn't even got a mention so far.............a great twist within the plot to use references and comparisons to Jack the Ripper and his unsolved cases..........I for one learnt some new things from this book - and that's always a good thing. I loved the fact that it all seemed so believable and possible and the inclusion of some great 'bit' parts, (Susie the reporter springs to mind) makes the story complete somehow.So - buy it and see - I strongly suggest you read the first two books in the series if you haven't already - though this works perfectly as a stand alone - it will give the main characters much more depth and lots more context. Page turning is a cliche, (especially on Kindle), but I sat and read it in one good long sitting!!!!

Very enjoyable read. Typical Adam Croft. I always enjoy his booksI have read many Adam Croft books and always enjoy them

While I enjoy all of his writing, I'm more a fan of Croft's Kempston Hardwick novels than the Knight & Culverhouse books, but this book may have changed that! It's extremely well-written, makes good use of different perspectives from different characters, and on its most basic level is a great, page-turning whodunit. The connection to another real life case from the past just makes it even better - like many readers, I'm fascinated by the original case, and it just added an extra element to the book that made me want to keep reading. We get to see more of the characters' personal lives in this book too, and I'm now looking forward to the next one just as much as the next Kempston Hardwick novel!

Another great read from Adam. Read it in box set but want them individually. Hooked throughout . Epic series hope there's more