Category: Mystery

Hi, everyone!

Today is my turn on the Blog Blitz for THE EDITOR by Simon Hall.

Below you will find a book blurb, my book review and the author’s biography. This book is not what I was expecting. I would not classify it as a classic mystery, but a fiction story with a mystery subplot. You will have to judge for yourself. Enjoy!

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Book Blurb

A mysterious advert in a newspaper promising to restore hope to the hopeless brings together four strangers.

None realising they will end up investigating a twisted and troubling crime that threatens their very futures.

Mitch, a former Crime Scene Investigator, Olivia, a brilliant PhD student, and Florence, a middle-aged solicitor, find themselves working with an enigmatic newspaper editor who refers to himself only as Ed.

But when Maddie, a teenage girl, disappears in sinister circumstances, the team are drawn into the hunt for her. And when a neighbour’s body is discovered in a pool of blood, they realise they must use their unique skills in a race against time.

But can they solve the mystery before it’s too late? And before Ed’s shadowy past overcomes them all?

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

THE EDITOR by Simon Hall is not the book I was expecting, but that is not necessarily a bad thing at times. I was expecting a straight mystery due to the book blurb and the marketing, but for me it was more of a general fiction story with a mystery sub-plot.

An ad is posted in the newspaper promising to restore hope to the hopeless by Ed. Ed is a mysterious figure who chooses three people from the applicants to assist him in starting a new newswire to get them out among people and reconnect them with humanity and hope.

Mitch is a former crime scene investigator who has seen too much. Olivia is a brilliant computer and mathematician PhD student who hates humanity. Florence is a lawyer who feels that no matter who or what she tries to help, it ends in disaster. Ed is the leader, but he is also is looking for an unnamed answer.

As they search for news stories, the four become involved with a family in crisis. When teenager, Maddie disappears after her mother is sent to the hospital after a domestic abuse incident, the four work together to solve her disappearance. They all use their unique skills in a race against time and fight to maintain their hope.

The four main characters are the focus of this book more than the mystery which is easily figured out. Even the surprise twist at the end is focused on the main characters and not the mystery itself. I really enjoyed the differences between the four and how they came together. The twist at the end surprised me and cleared up questions about Ed.

This book is one of those books that everyone will have different views on and leave the ratings all over the place, but I enjoyed it. I recommend it for a different type of read with the emphasis on the four main characters and not the mystery sub-plot.

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Biography

Simon Hall is an author, journalist, communications consultant, and business coach.

He was a broadcaster for twenty five years, mostly as a BBC Television, Radio and Online News Correspondent, covering some of the biggest stories Britain has seen.

He now lectures, and coaches companies at the Judge Business School, part of the University of Cambridge, working on presentation skills, branding, pitching, websites, and media profile, both conventional and social.

Simon has had seven books in his tvdetective series published. They focus on a television reporter who covers crimes and gets so involved in the cases he helps the police to solve them.

He has also contributed articles and short stories to a range of newspapers and magazines, written plays, and even a pantomime.

Alongside his novels and stories, Simon is a tutor in media skills and creative writing, teaching at popular Writers’ Summer Schools such as Swanwick and Winchester, for the National Association of Writers’ Groups, at universities including Cambridge and Exeter, on cruise ships and overseas.

Simon has also become sought after as a speaker, appearing at a variety of prestigious literary festivals. His talks combine an insight into his writing work, along with some extraordinary anecdotes from the life of a television reporter, including the now notorious story of What to do when you really need a dead otter.

He began a broadcasting career as a DJ on the radio and in nightclubs, then moved into radio and TV news. He worked in Europe, London, Ireland, and the south west of England, before settling in Cambridge.

Simon is married to Jess, Director of Libraries at the University of Cambridge, and has an adopted daughter, Niamh. She’s an army officer, which makes her father both very proud and very nervous.

Simon also lectures on careers in the media at Cambridge University, and in schools and colleges. Amongst his proudest achievements, he includes the number of young people he has helped into higher education and jobs in broadcasting, and aspiring writers into publication.

As for his likes, Simon lists beer – he judges at real ale festivals – running, cycling, solving cryptic crosswords, composing curious Tweets (find him @SimonHallNews) and studying pop lyrics.

For more on Simon, see his website – www.thetvdetective.com