I’m delighted to share an extract of the excellent Black Reed Bay by Rod Reynolds with you today as part of the blog tour. Thank you to Anne Cater and Orenda Books for giving me the opportunity to share this extract with you today.
About the book:
When a young woman makes a distressing middle-of-the-night call to 911, apparently running for her life in a quiet, exclusive beachside neighbourhood, miles from her home, everything suggests a domestic incident.
Except no one has seen her since, and something doesn’t sit right with the officers at Hampstead County PD. With multiple suspects and witnesses throwing up startling inconsistencies, and interference from the top threatening the integrity of the investigation, lead detective Casey Wray is thrust into an increasingly puzzling case that looks like it can have only one ending.
And then the first body appears, and Casey’s investigation plunges her into a darkness she could never have imagined…
Black Reed Bay introduces a breathtaking, powerful and addictive new series, fronted by the fantastic Detective Casey Wray, from the CWA-nominated author of Blood Red City and The Dark Inside.
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 has called the books ‘pitch-perfect American noir’.
A lifelong Londoner, Rod’s first novel set in his hometown, entitled Blood Red City, was published by Orenda Books in 2020.
Rod previously worked in advertising as a media buyer, and holds an MA in novel writing from City University London. He lives with his wife and family and spends most of his time trying to keep up with his two young daughters.
Follow him on Twitter @Rod_WR.
Extract:
Black Reed Bay
by Rod Reynolds
Cullen held the double doors open for Casey and then followed her inside. HCPD was made up of five precincts, theirs based in Rockport and the largest of the five – though politics meant the department was headquartered way out at Harrison, in the east of the county. The Third was home to a six-strong detective bureau, under the command of Lieutenant Ray Carletti.
Casey had been partnered with Cullen shortly after she joined the squad; he had three years under his belt already by then, but he’d never shown any resentment to her making rank before him. In fact, he’d had her back as she cleared the department of dead wood – two twenty-year men pensioned off, another vet transferred out – and filtered in her own team. They’d talked about it once, way deep into a night at Shakey’s, and he’d explained it like this: ‘I figured out I’m Robin a long time ago, and I’m good with it. Batman’s an asshole.’
The irony was, Casey would’ve placed herself in the same bracket – until Ray Carletti made it plain he saw leadership qualities she never knew she had.
She made for the staircase, hitting the button for the elevator as they passed, but without stopping. Cullen shot her a sidelong questioning look.
‘What? I thought you’d need the elevator, old man.’
Cullen jabbed her in the shoulder with his finger. ‘I went to the gym last week. You know that?’
‘What for? Hide out from the kids?’
‘Of course,’ Cullen smiled, opening the stairway door. ‘But it’s a start, right?’
The team worked out of an open-plan office on the second floor; the room was long and narrow, the desks arranged in pairs, facing each other. Carletti was in his glass cubicle at the far end, half hidden behind his computer screen. He looked up when they walked in and waved Casey over.
She knocked once on the glass door and opened it to stand in the doorway. ‘Morning, Boss.’
‘What’s up, Big. Heard you were dancing last night.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘You sound like Cullen.’
‘I knew I left too early
‘I’m a good dancer, goddammit.’
‘And no one in my office will say otherwise.’ He sat back in his chair. ‘Without my say-so.’
End of extract
Look out for my review of this wonderful book very soon!
Black Reed Bay by Rod Reynolds is available to purchase now:
Check out what these other fabulous bloggers have to say about this book:
Cal Turner Reviews 
Thanks for the blog tour support xx
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