DI Ian Peterson and his wife Bev have recently moved from Kent to York, following his promotion to Detective Inspector. Ian works in the Serious Crimes division and it's not long before the apparent suicide of an attendee at York races gives him his first case in his new role. The evidence soon reveals that this case is not as simple as it first appears, giving Ian considerably more clues to unravel and a killer to apprehend, before he can wrap up the case and hopefully impress his new boss in the process.

With an unimpressed Bev unsettled by the recent move, Ian fights to keep his head above water at work and at home, but the cracks soon begin to show as the corpses increase in number and the pressure builds. Can Ian crack the case and keep his marriage on track? There's a whole lot riding on this case and time is running out!

The fact that this is the second book in this series didn't diminish my enjoyment as it easily serves as a stand alone. The author's clever use of vocabulary brings protagonist Ian and his supporting characters to life as they play their different parts in this gritty crime thriller. Fast-paced and unrelenting, and with more than enough twists to keep the most demanding reader entertained, Race to Death certainly doesn't disappoint! 4.5/5* ( )