Today its my pleasure to be sharing my thoughts on a novel by an author hitherto unknown to me, False Truth by C.D. Steele.
Private Investigator and former MI6 agent Joe Wilde is hired by Sally Devlin to investigate her son’s disappearance. Liam Devlin was a rising football star. His car was found abandoned at Lea Bridge in Hackney, a known suicide spot, six weeks prior.
With help from friend and retired MI6 Data Technician Mark Thompson, Joe uncovers a huge secret in Liam’s life. Putting the pieces together, he starts to suspect that this case is far more complex than he originally envisioned. Falling ever deeper into his own investigations, Joe meets with the detective in charge of the case, D. I. Carl Whatmore, who does not take kindly to Joe getting involved.
As Joe and D. I. Whatmore go head-to-head in their own investigations, more lives are put in danger.
But who will crack the case? Only time will tell… ... Back Cover Blurb
"Goal! What a finish, that now makes it two nil to Northampton - surely there is no way back now for Leyton Orient?" the tv commentary blared out from the live-stream. ... First Sentence, Prologue
"You are good Joe, I have to admit. You are certainly a better detective than you were an ag3ent in M16. You were always too moralistic and principled to make an effective agent; sometimes we have to do things that may seem extreme and are morally questionable, but we do them for the good of the country."
"Oh, don't give me that 'for the greater good' crap, please." ... Memorable Moment, Page 170
MY THOUGHTS ... Well! What an interesting character Joe Wilde turned out to be; Ex special services {trained in a martial art in which you first strike the weak points of the body you know, the throat, the testicles ... ouch! before going for the 'vitals'} come PI who is only too pleased when a 'proper' case {IE one that isn’t spent trying to find out whether a lover is cheating on their partner or not} comes in in what turns out to be a case that, with twists and turns aplenty, becomes increasingly intriguing.
Whilst a reader for whom the characters are of such importance, for me personally, when it comes down to thrillers/crime fiction, it can feel that the author becomes so invested in the private life {one that for some reason is all too often is filled with tragedy/angst} of their lead detective/PI that it can detract from the case. Not so with Steele's Joe Wilde's private life for whom, rather refreshingly, we only got a relatively brief if rather tantalising glimpse ... though, the author's debut novel, I dare say we'll get to know more in future books.
A shorter read of 134 pages {or, for those who prefer to read their books digitally, that's a Kindle file size of 3550 KB} but oh my giddy aunt!, footballer Liam Devlin's 'suicide' only the beginning; the deeper Wilde digs the more the dangerous the case became {even to my delight introducing an element of conspiracy theory}, Steele's False Truth packed some punch.
