If you like violent crime/gangster thrillers then you will absolutely Woodcutter, the debut novel by Shaun Baines.
The Daytons are a feared criminal family in Newcastle. Daniel Dayton has been on the run from his father Ed for 9 months but when the daughter he abandoned is attacked he returns to Newcastle to seek revenge.
The Dayton criminal enterprise also has its own problems, someone is trying to muscle in and put them out of business. They need Daniel to return and help take care of the problem.
Daniel is despised by his brother, his parents have betrayed him, he is in love with his sister-in-law and all he wants is revenge. Home is really not the place to be and has become very dangerous.
Overall, Woodcutter is a fantastic, thrilling, gripping and exciting debut novel by Shaun Baines. I found it to be well-written and went along at a good pace. It is filled with violence, secrets and kept me guessing right until the end. A very intriguing story, it was very hard to put down.
A story of a brutal gangland family that use fear and violence to control their empire but when put at risk by an unknown rival it soon exposes the fractures within their family and organisation.
It has some great characters, very violent, despicable and dangerous. It is dark and gritty and thoroughly exciting.
If you want a great gritty thriller this summer that will keep you absorbed, then I can highly recommend Woodcutter. The only problem will be is that you won’t want to put it down or for it end!
A fantastic action-packed, brutal and gritty thriller! A fantastic debut novel and I will be keeping an eye for further novels by Shaun Baines.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £8.99 (Paperback) / £3.99 (Kindle)
For more information visit www.shaunbaines.org. Available to buy from Amazon here.
*Woodcutter has been updated, rewritten and republished under the title The Wrong Lie*
Click here to read my interview with Shaun Baines
