Out For Revenge by Tony Bassett

Fast Paced & Exciting

Out For Revenge by Tony Bassett is an exciting contemporary crime novel that intrigued me from the start. It is the fourth book in the DCI Roscoe and DS Roy series but can be read as a stand-alone.

This is a novel that requires you to remain on high alert as you read. The plotline is intricate and well thought out. As we read, we cling on to the action as it twists this way and that.

All the characters were well drawn. There were unscrupulous villains and hard working police officers who relentlessly pursue the bad guys, whether they are inside or outside the force.

A rumor of corruption means cards must be played close to the chest. The circle of the trustworthy is small. We witness the loyalty of some outside the police force who put their lives on the line.

All the action is set in the Midlands – mainly around Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry and the Warwickshire and Worcestershire countryside. As a local girl, I was familiar with most of the locations which enhanced my reading experience.

Out For Revenge is a fast-paced crime thriller which I just could not put down and read it in just one sitting. It is exciting and keeps the reader on their toes. It would make a fabulous television series and I can highly recommend it.

I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

JULIA WILSON

SPLASHES INTO BOOKS

Questions and Answers with

Tony Bassett (author of OUT FOR REVENGE)

Where did you get the inspiration for the book/series?

Part of the inspiration for my new novel, Out For Revenge, and the other three books in the series comes from the happy time I had while working for a newspaper in Worcester. So many crime novels are set in London. I decided Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Birmingham would make a great location. To make the books different, I introduced an Asian female detective. One reason I created this character with an Indian and Hindu background is that I was very impressed by the amazing career of Neil Basu, the former Assistant Commissioner with the Metropolitan Police who was raised in the West Midlands.

What is your writing process?

I aim to write 1,000 words or more every day. I always try to begin the book with a note of drama and generally allow the plot to develop from there. The narrative tends to be driven forward by the needs, interests and aspirations of the various characters.

Do you write using pen and paper or on a computer?

I write on a computer, but always keep a scrap of paper and a pen with me in case an idea springs to mind while I’m away from my office.

Who is your favourite character out of your stories and why?

That has to be DCI Gavin Roscoe, an often harassed family man who works extremely hard to organise his team. Unfortunately, this avuncular, middle-aged Brummie doesn’t always appreciate some of the finer details of the investigation. But luckily his sergeant, Sunita Roy, is usually on hand to take the case forward.

If you were a character in your story, which would you like to be?

See the reply given above.

How and why did you choose the names for your main characters?

I chose the surname Roscoe because it is an eye-catching, memorable name and the first name Gavin seemed to suit it. The name Sunita Roy was selected because of the surname’s association with West Bengal, which is where Britain’s most senior Asian police officer, Neil Basu, hails from. Many of the other names that appear in the series are ones I encountered while reporting for the Worcester News or they are surnames listed online as being common to the West Midlands. These include Bufton, Peploe and Deeley.