How The Wired Weep by Ian Patrick
The Wire crosses the pond.
Ed is a detective who handles informants. He recruits Ben, a young man, who is treading a dangerous path into the criminal underworld.
Ben's unsure of where his loyalties lie. They have to find a way to work together despite their differences.
Both men are drawn into the world of Troy, a ruthless and brutal leader of an Organised Criminal Network.
Ben is torn between two worlds as he tries to walk the impossible line between criminality and helping Ed combat crime.
He lives in fear of discovery.
When your life is thrown upside down who do you turn to in order to survive?
Set against the backdrop of the 2012 Olympic Games, How the Wired Weep is a fast paced urban thriller where time is against both men as they attempt to serve their own agendas.
About Ian Patrick:
Ian spent twenty-seven years in the Metropolitan police the majority as a Detective Sergeant within the Specialist Operations Command. He specialised in Child Protection and was part of a Major Investigation Team that targeted abusers and investigated the murder of children.
His last seven years were spent in the Covert Policing Command where he managed a specialist covert unit dedicated to the detection and disruption of organised criminal networks across London and the UK.
Rubicon, Stoned Love, and Fools Gold are published by Fahrenheit Press. How the Wired Weep is a standalone novel. Rubicon is in development with the BBC for a six part TV series.
He's appeared at Bloody Scotland in 2018 as a spotlight author on the opening night with Val McDermid and Denise Mina.
Ian's undertaken a mentorship with Write4Film Scotland and is developing a script for a short film. He's also an ambassador for Muscular Dystrophy Scotland. He lives in Scotland where he divides his time between family, writing, reading and photography.
You can follow Ian on his website https://www.ianpatrick.co.ukwhere you can subscribe to his newsletter and get updates on blogs, events and books.
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Review
This was a high octave, page turning thriller set in the world of covert policing in North London. I was fascinated by this book. I live a sheltered life and I am thankful for the service police officers, like Ian, do for us. Ian’s experience as a police officer lends a sense of reality to the narrative. It’s high paced and that because life is like that.
‘How The Wired Weep’ focuses on Ed who is a police covert operative and his relationship with his informer Ben. Ben has just been released from prison and is working with Ed to let him know when stuff is happening on his estate with his gang. Ed understands that Ben is walking a fine line - he shouldn’t be committing criminal acts but if he isn’t how does he get the information. I really enjoyed the relationship that grew between the two main leads. Each had their own chapters and POV and it was interesting to see how both adapted to the events which take place. Ed began to care for Ben and Ben begins to realise that Ed might be his only hope.
There are some harrowing scenes in this book, I can’t say too much as we will get into spoiler territory. The kid being one of them. Aged 10 and already involved with a gang. I’m sure this happens, we have all seen the media reports of county lines etc. Anyhow, this book definitely packs a punch with its story. The ending was a surprise and I like the resolution with Ed bid to become a father. Serendipity and all that.
I really did enjoy reading this novel and would quite like to see this become developed into a series. It’s an high paced, edge of your seat thriller that shows you the human side of ganglife in London. It’s well deserving of being on your tbr pile!!
Purchase Links:
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/332xpRm
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3jRISKb
