Hard North — S.D. Gripton

The 8th novel in the Andy North 50,000 word series, this one concerns domestic abuse and the consequences of it. Two schoolboys are sliced as they walk home from school, witnesses say that the attackers were slim and dressed in grey hoodies with hoods up, white shorts, trainers and white gloves and most think that they were young women or girls. The cutting of the boys, it turns out, was just a way of announcing the arrival in the County of a group of vigilantes who are going to punish men who beat women. They call themselves the Enigmas because they are a mystery to the police, to County Major Crimes, to Andy North, to Ellie Tonbridge and the other Detectives of the Unit. The day after the boys are cut, three men are stabbed, all of them being unprosecuted domestic abusers who have beaten their wi wives and girlfriends, one of whom is heavily pregnant. While the Enigmas cause chaos in the City, Andy and his teams chase them and gather intelligence. One nurse comes to their attention, Vecta Davis, but it turns out that she has been so badly abused during her young life that she is looked after by the Enigmas and is mentally very fragile. After questioning her, Andy agrees with the Enigmas that he will not question her again if one of them surrenders to him. One does but the meeting is very challenging for Andy, Following Ellie Tonbridge's questioning of Vecta Davis' mother, Vecta cuts her wrists and the promise Andy made is broken. He is attacked and is left fighting for his life. Another exciting crime novel from the imagination of S.D. Gripton.