Welcome Back, Jack! By Liam Sweeney

Note: This review is pre-release. The book goes on sale 31st October

Jack Taggart is a man with a terrible history. The bloody death of his parents at the merciless hands of a serial killer have left him a haunted man. He battles his demons by being the best cop he can be. When a serial killer brings death to New Rhodes Jack finds the past comes back for him with a vengeance.

Welcome Back, Jack! Is a gritty police procedural novel. We follow Jack Taggart as he tries to track down a serial killer. He must battle self-interest and be as objective as he can be as the killer has a connection to his past, a link he cannot ignore. This leads to suspicions from his colleagues in New Rhodes Police Department, the FBI and the Sheriff’s department. When everyone wants Jack off the case he knows that stop hunting this killer could mean disaster for him and all he holds dear.

Liam Sweeney has created a number of excellent characters here. The dialogue is as sharp and realistic as any I’ve read in recent times. It’s also clear that the author has done his research into police procedures and as a Brit I was fascinated by the methodology of US cops and agencies outlined in the book.

Sweeney builds the tension up slowly but as the books nears its dramatic conclusion you realise how much he has sucked you into the plot. I found that it I really cared what happened to Jack. They were no throwaway two dimensional characters here. An excellent read that I enjoyed from start to finish. I hope to see more of Jack Taggart.