Unforgivable: A gritty new police drama for fans of Stuart MacBride

A bomb explodes in a busy souk, causing massive devastation. A gunman walks into a mosque and starts shooting. But this isn't the Middle East, this is Cardiff . . . With the city on high alert and all officers being drafted in to aid the search for the attacker, DC Will MacReady feels sidelined when he's asked to investigate a knife attack on a young woman. Still trying to prove himself after the events of the previous year, which left his sergeant injured, and still coming to terms with events in his personal life, MacReady wonders if he's even cut out for the job. However, when his case appears to offer a lead to the attacks, MacReady must put everything on the line in order to do what is right. Can he prove to everyone, as well as to himself, that he has what it takes to be a good copper?

About the Author :
Mike Thomas was born in Wales in 1971. For more than two decades he served in the police, working some of Cardiff's busiest neighbourhoods. He left the force in 2015 to write full time. Mike has previously had two novels published and was longlisted for the Wales Book of the Year and was on the list of Waterstones 'New Voices'. His second novel, Ugly Bus, is currently in development for a six part series with the BBC. He lives in the wilds of Portugal with his wife, children and a senile dog who enjoys eating furniture.

Review :
You can't help but to stick with him through the grit and thrills of this high octane thriller A cracking yarn with a breakneck plot and great characters. It will have the Cardiff tourist board reaching for the smelling salts. Wales explodes in a fireball of hate and terror. Like real life on crack. If you like your noir ripped from the pages of the news, this is for you. Blood on the floor, hate in the air - near the knuckle crime fiction Unforgiveable is a heart-thumping thriller. Mike Thomas has crafted a gripping tale that brims with authenticity and tension Totally believable and engrossing. Mike Thomas is a genuine and authentic voice in the world of Brit grit. A complex, contemporary and disturbing crime novel, in which there are no easy answers The narration is edgy and feels staggeringly authentic, so too are the observations of the resulting carnage at specific locations where herds of people gather. Add to this the false sense of relief when everyone believes the danger has passed, and the engineer's indifference as they appreciate their handiwork, and you have all the ingredients of a riveting read . . . Unforgivable has a solid plot where ordinary people face extreme scenes that no one could have prepared for . . . It's well written, unputdownable and with a gripping storyline that doesn't pull its punches. It's also a tough read at times but a relevant one that has left me wanting more! Highly recommended by me! If you love a well-written crime novel with a strong element of police procedural then you will have to add this to your to be read pile! Unforgivable totally lived up to all of my expectations with Thomas proving that this is one hell of a crime series! Unforgivable is a fantastic, high-adrenaline, close-to-the-bone read and the DC MacReady books are now firmly placed on my list of favourite and highly recommended detective series This taut, pacy, atmospheric account of events over five hectic days is as engaging and convincing as has become usual for this author. No doubt his police background is what makes him sound so in control of his material, but he is not content just to write what he knows; in this novel he is interested in what we can never wholly know, the inside of others' heads . . . Fast paced and fraught with tension, I found Unforgivable to be a "white knuckle" read, covering a very frighteningly credible topic. Action packed and filled with intrigue, Unforgivable combines police procedure with a powerful and thrilling plot making for a thoroughly gripping read 'Tis a proper edgy page turner this one. With some genuinely talented writing skill, and brilliantly insightful storytelling Mike Thomas has taken what he started in Ash and Bones and shot it up the ratings by quite a few points. More of that I say The investigation grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go. I was drawn into the action by the excellent dialogue and the very realistic way the pieces of the jigsaw fell into place. Read it, if only to see whether you agree . . . you won't be disappointed I have to talk about the opening chapter: it's safe to say that it grabbed hold of me and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It's gritty and dark at times but this just made the story all the more gripping and addictive Unforgivable is a tightly crafted explosive and intense thriller that twists and weaves its way throughout the connected plots and bringing together a killer of a conclusion Unforgivable is a thriller that twists and turns the reader through interconnected story lines that lead to a fantastic ending Mike Thomas has crafted a gritty, realistic novel that is chilling and definitely packs a punch. It kept me wanting to read on from first page to last and didn't release its grip on me until the very end! 'This is a harrowing novel with some of its most disturbing scenes coming in the aftermath of the bombings. The plot feels all too real and is bang up to date with its references to social media reporting. The level of detail and accuracy is, as with all Thomas' books, maintained right through to its gripping conclusion - and his portrayal of the attitudes of ordinary policemen and women to the over-politicised, accelerated promotion, management speak, PC idiots who now run our forces should be compulsory reading for our MPs. This is another great story from a man who has bought the tshirt and tells it like it is for those we rely on to keep us safe.' 'It's so nice to get out of the cliched crime fiction cities of London, New York and LA once in awhile. Former cop Mike Thomas served in some of Cardiff's toughest neighbourhoods for 20 years, and here he's writing about what he knows. First, a bomb goes off in a busy souk, then another one tears into a mosque. But this isn't Tripoli or Baghdad. It's Cardiff and DC Will MacReady is raring to go on the case. Is this to be his first big investigation, or is he going to be sidelined to work on a knife attack instead?'