Shatter Creek (Casey Wray Book Two) by Rod Reynolds

 

Shatter Creek (Casey Wray Book Two) by Rod Reynolds.

Published 22nd May 2025 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

Hampstead County Police Department is embroiled in scandal after corruption at the top of the force was exposed. Cleared of involvement and returned to active duty, Detective Sergeant Casey Wray nonetheless finds herself at a crossroads when it becomes clear not everyone believes she’s innocent.

CORRUPTION

Partnered with rookie Billy Drocker, Casey works a shocking daytime double-homicide in downtown Rockport with the two victims seemingly unknown to one another. And when a third victim is gunned down on her doorstep shortly after, it appears an abusive ex-boyfriend holds the key to the killings.

MURDER

With powerful figures demanding answers, Casey and Billy search for the suspect, fearing he’s on a murderous rampage. But when a key witness goes missing, and new evidence just won’t fit, the case begins to unravel.

DANGER

With her career in jeopardy, Casey makes a shattering discovery that threatens to expose the true darkness at the heart of the murders… with a killer still on the loose…

***********

Reeling from the corruption scandal that has ripped Hampstead County Police Department apart, Detective Sergeant Casey Wray is unsure how to reconcile the fact that her own partner was involved in dark deeds she was completely unaware of. Although she has been cleared of any wrong doing, not everyone is convinced of her innocence - including her new boss.

With her reputation tarnished, Casey and her rookie partner, Billy, are thrown into a tricky investigation when a double homicide takes place on a quiet morning in downtown Rockport. There is nothing to link the two victims, but when a third murder throws up a line of inquiry around an abusive ex-boyfriend, it seems he might be the key to unravelling the mystery - especially given the pressure being piled on from above to solve the case as quickly as possible.

But as Casey begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together, they just do not fit. Something else is going on here, but how can she convince her boss of her suspicions when there is no trust?

Not having read Black Reed Bay, which introduces DS Casey Wray, I was definitely on the back foot at the start of this book, but Reynolds gives you just enough to get to grips with the lay of the land, and how this affects Casey's actions, motivations, and ability to do her job, so it can be read as a stand-alone.

The action begins right out of the gate with a shocking double murder, and does not let up for an instant throughout the authentically gritty American noir twists and turns - which pleasantly surprised me given that the only Rod Reynolds' book I had read previously was the very British  financial caper Blood Red City.

The threads of the corruption backstory run indelibly through the warp and weft of the whole complicated plot, which Reynolds cleverly uses to underlie a combination of seductive police procedural and edge-of-your-seat political-themed thriller. Motivations are entertainingly murky, and Casey's frustrations become your own as she battles whispers about her integrity, the agendas of those who plan to make her the fall guy for their own failings, and uncomfortable relations within her own team. I loved her from pretty-much page one, and thoroughly enjoyed her spirit, and intelligence. She is an intriguing character, determined to get to the truth, and not beyond questioning her own attitudes as knotty themes of patriarchal power and manipulation rear their ugly heads.

Reynolds' writing is first-class, keeping your attention with suspenseful mystery, the tension of well-wrought menace, perfectly timed reveals, and drop dead gorgeous emotional barbs that add the punch of heavyweights like Dennis Lehane. And he makes it look so easy, especially given the way the threads all come together in a gripping climax, leaving just enough rope to hook you into the next book... which I am very much looking forward to. Have no doubt that I will be going back to take in Black Reed Bay very soon too! 

Shatter Creek is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats. You can buy direct from Orenda Books HERE.

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Rod Reynolds is the author of four novels, including the Charlie Yates series. His 2015 debut, The Dark Inside, was longlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger, and was followed by Black Night Falling (2016) and Cold Desert Sky (2018); the Guardian have called the books 'Pitch-perfect American noir.'

A lifelong Londoner, in 2020 Orenda Books published his first novel set in his hometown, Blood Red City. The first in the Casey Wray series, Black Reed Bay, published in 2021 was longlisted for the CWA Steel Dagger for Thriller of the year. Book two in the series, Shatter Creek, is out now. 

Rod previously worked in advertising as a media buyer, and holds an MA in novel writing from City University London. Rod lives with his wife and family and spends most of his time trying to keep up with his two young daughters.