The Playroom — John Connor

Excellent second novel featuring Yorkshire Detective Constable Karen Sharpe.

The daughter of a Bradford judge is kidnapped and a massive, round-the-clock investigation begins. Knowing the chances of Sophie Kenyon surviving will diminish dramatically after the first twenty-four hours, Detective Chief Superintendent John Munro begins to crack under the pressure of holding together an enquiry swamped with leads.

Meanwhile, DC Karen Sharpe is pursuing her own single-handed enquiry into historic child abuse allegations: Pamela Mathews says a local MP raped her ten years before. The task of finding corroboration looks hopeless, but Sharpe keeps at it - anything rather than face up to her own tangled personal life, living with a man she doesn't love and caring for a child who thinks she is her aunt. The truth is more complex and frightening, leading back to still unresolved events from a year before.

Karen's enquiry uncovers connections with the kidnapping, and, in an explosion of violence and bloodshed, Karen is left fighting not just to find Sophie, but to save herself.

Why readers love John Connor:

'A first-rate thriller with a terrific climax.' Sunday Telegraph
'He's created a beguilingly complex character, perfectly suited to his taut thrillers.' Mirror
'John Connor drives his complex tale of secrecy and betrayal along at a cracking pace.' Irish Independent
'The police procedural novel is given the kind of spruce up it has been in need of for some time.' Daily Express

Fans of Harlan Coben, David Baldacci and Linwood Barclay will love John Connor:

Karen Sharpe
1. Phoenix
2. Playroom
3. A Child's Game
4. Falling
5. Unsafe

Standalone
1. The Vanishing
2. The Ice House

* Each John Connor novel can be read as a standalone or in series order *