Random Things Tours: The Bleed by Paul Barrell

 

I love fast-paced thrillers set in cities I love. Inspierd by real events, The Bleed by Paul Barrell is a race against death set in the worlds of South London´s dangerous gangs.

When an undercover cop trying his best to get a foot in the underworld falls for a charming Chinese masseuse, nothing prepared him for the gateways suddenly opened to him. A pathway that may also bring him close to the truth regarding the killing of his brother. 

The Bleed is a relatively short book, but it keeps you awake and alert from the very first until the very first line. Alert, well written, with pertinent ambiance descriptions and complex realistic characters, it is hard to abandon it until the ending - which comes with a twist. 

I was particularly pleased by the psychological complexity of the situations described, as well as by the ways in which the moral ambiguity of the characters influenced the track of events. The descriptions of places where the action takes part, mostly South of London, it takes the reader to the very heart of the events and it is also very relatable.

This book is like a gatetway to a world that we may read about it, hopefully not get to know directly, but nevertheless always inciting. Good books can take you anyway, even in the darkest corridors of the South London gangs.

A recommended read if you are looking for a short yet unforgettable crime thriller read for a long weekend.

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own