Today, I’m pleased to be one of the blogs featuring on the tour for Blood on His Hands by Ian McFadyen, the latest book in the Carmichael series. I really like the sound of this so, hopefully, the blurb and the extract will whet your appetite too! If it does, you’ll find a link at the end to win a copy of the book.
The Blurb
When a stranger enters DI Carmichael’s local church, with blood on his hands claiming to have committed a murder, Carmichael and his team are quickly summoned.
And when the man disappears, as mysteriously as he arrived, with few clues to his identity, where he came from and where he went, Carmichael quickly realises that all may not be as it seems.
The conundrum becomes even more puzzling when, in less than 24 hours, a corpse is discovered in the boot of a Bentley car down a quiet country lane.
As the body count rises Carmichael and his team remain confounded as to who is behind the murders and what motive they have for taking so many lives. In this, the eighth gripping murder mystery from the pen of Ian McFadyen, the author once again captivates the reader with an array of beguiling characters tightly woven within an intriguing, skilfully scripted plot.
It will keep you guessing right until the end…
The Extract
DC Rachel Dalton manages to locate the agent of Geoffrey Brookwell, an actor found murdered in the small Lancashire village of Moulton Bank. DI Carmichael is otherwise engaged, so Dalton is instructed to conduct the interview alone.
Rachel Dalton looked up at the large clock that hung behind where Anna Montgomery was sitting; it read 12:35pm.
“I’m afraid Inspector Carmichael has had to rush off on another case,” she explained, “so it will be just me.”
The absence of Rachel’s superior didn’t seem to bother Anna Montgomery, who just gave a faint shrug of her shoulders.
“I’m more worried about the time,” she replied. “I’ve only got about thirty minutes, then I’ll have to be off, so I can get back to Manchester for my two-thirty meeting.”
Rachel Dalton looked up into Anna Montgomery’s eyes and smiled.
“How long have you been Geoffrey Brookwell’s agent?” she enquired.
“Just over fifteen years,” replied Anna.
“And what sort of actor was he?” continued Rachel.
“A mediocre one,” Anna replied immediately and without any hint of remorse. “He had one reasonably long run about ten years ago as Dr Damien Hook in The Cumbrian Way, which lasted about three years,
but since that ended, he’s not done much. A few voice-overs and adverts, but other than that, zilch.”
“I see,” remarked Rachel, who paused for a few seconds. “And when did you last have any contact with Geoffrey?” continued Rachel.
“I haven’t seen him in months,” replied Anna, “but we spoke the other evening.”
“When was that?” Rachel enquired.
“It was Monday evening,” replied Anna. “He called me at about 5:45pm. He was very excited about some big role he reckoned he had in the bag.”
“Really,” replied Rachel. “Is it normal for actors to get a role without it going through their agent?”
Anna Montgomery shook her head. “It does happen,” she conceded, “but it’s very unusual, particularly with actors who have low profiles like Geoffrey.”
“So, what role was this?” Rachel asked.
“I’ve no idea,” replied Anna. “He was being very guarded about it, but he said that it was a major role with a big producer, that he’d been given an advance, and he was doing an improvisation for one of the scenes
with another actor, on location, the next day.”
“And what did you make of what he told you?” Rachel enquired.
Anna Montgomery held the palms of her hands upwards, as if to emphasise her bewilderment.
“Geoffrey wasn’t one to fabricate things,” she remarked, “but it all sounded a bit unusual to me. Which is what I told him.”
“But he gave you no more details about this audition or the nature of this big role?” Rachel remarked.
“None whatsoever,” replied Anna. “He assured me I’d get my agent fee but refused to elaborate any more.”
“I see,” replied Rachel. “And that was the last time you spoke with him?”
Anna nodded. “Yes, that’s right,” she replied.
“Did he mention anything about intending to go to church on Tuesday?” Rachel enquired.
“Church?” replied Anna Montgomery, her shocked voice loud and shrill. “Absolutely not. I know for a fact that, like me, Geoffrey was an atheist. What on earth would he be doing going to church; and
on a Tuesday, too? I thought that lot did their thing on Sundays.”
About the Author
Ian McFadyen lives in Bishops Stortford, Herts and has published seven books in the Carmichael series so far. McFadyen has built up a strong following and is particularly well supported by library borrowers – being positioned in the top 10% of most loaned authors in the last few years. Favourably mentioned alongside Wilkie Collins and Colin Dexter, McFadyen’s titles are all available in paperback and on kindle.
Social Media Links – Facebook.com/ianmcfadyenauthor & Twitter @ianMcFadyen1
Purchase Links
Book Guild: https://www.bookguild.co.uk/bookshop-collection/fiction/detective/blood-on-his-hands/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-his-Hands-Dci-Carmichael/dp/1912881942
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/blood-on-his-hands/ian-mcfadyen/9781912881949
Blackwell’s: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Blood-on-His-Hands-by-Ian-McFadyen-author/9781912881949
WHSmith: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/blood-on-his-hands/ian-mcfadyen/paperback/9781912881949.html
The Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Blood-on-his-Hands-Ian-McFadyen/9781912881949
Competition!
Giveaway to Win 5 x Paperback copies of Blood on His Hands (UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494341/?
Go Buy The Book 
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