Nighthawking: The gripping psychological thriller Paperback – 11 Nov. 2021

As a Sheffield local, I love seeing my city brought to life on the page – and Russ Thomas does it brilliantly. Nighthawking blends moody landscapes, real locations like the Botanical Gardens, and a gritty plot to create a crime novel with real bite.DS Adam Tyler is such a compelling lead – sharp, complex and refreshingly different. The plot is tense, layered and full of twists, with just the right mix of procedural detail and psychological suspense. It’s a fantastic follow-up to Firewatching, but stands alone well too. If you enjoy dark, intelligent crime writing in the vein of Tana French or Ian Rankin, this is absolutely worth a read.

I loved Firewatching so I was thrilled to dive back into the world of DS Adam Tyler. Nighthawking follows a few different strands – the discovery of the body of a young woman in the botanic gardens, the dynamics and intricacies of the police force in Sheffield, the secretive community of nighthawks and the personal life of DS Tyler, namely the mystery of his father’s apparent suicide years before. Thomas balances these different aspects very well and kept me invested and compelled from beginning to end.Having read the first book, I feel like I’m getting to know these characters rather well, particularly Adam Tyler and his protégé of sorts, Mina Rabbani, who takes more of a leading role in Nighthawking. The plot is unpredictable yet believable and there were some twists and turns that genuinely took me by surprise. I found the main case really interesting – the whole Nighthawking community is not something I knew anything about and played into the mystery of the story perfectly. I also found Tyler’s personal mission to understand the events that led to his father’s death incredibly intriguing. Nighthawking is compelling, intense and intelligently crafted. I would absolutely recommend this series and can’t wait to get started on the third instalment!

Fantastic second book in the DI Adam Tyler series. Set in Sheffield involving a group of Detectorists, roman coins and murder! I devoured this book in a matter of days. Brilliantly written with a great cast of characters and the settings are so well described that you feel you are there. A really gripping story in fact I couldn't put the book down! I love the background storyline and the final page is gasp inducing!I look forward to the third book in the series.Fantastic work Russ. 👏💯❤

I bought this because I like Police procedurals and because it is about a gay Detective (spoiler alert), also it was on special offer and had good reviews. I did find it hard going though, I'm used to being able to read this type of book through in one sitting, I couldn't do that with this book. I do usually recognise quality when I see it, so I have mentally put my name down for the next book in the series. It could easily just be me. I did manage to finish it. Heavy editing needed I think, I got bogged down in stuff which I skipped (in the end) without noticing the difference - so far as plot went. I'm sticking with the series though (big of me I know) and have put the next one in the mental wish list.

This book is a police procedural set in Sheffield, England, with a Superintendent, Chief Inspector, Sergeant, and Constable involved with an investigation, after a body is found in a city park.The story is perhaps a little closer to real life than most detective novels. There are some independent minded detectives, but most coppers in the book are having to manage as much office politics as investigative work. Poop slides up and down, with supervisors having to manage subordinates, while subordinates bridle at management.The book is an easy read. It’s not exactly Dickens, but it rattles along pretty quickly, and while the central murder isn’t too difficult to solve, there’s a twist or two towards the end that I think readers will like.

A brilliant sequel to Firewatching, this novel is again set in Sheffield and boats a wonderful plot with many twists and turns, diplomatic connections and a rich tapestry of characters. A wonderful novel from a truly great crime writer.

Definitely a fan.Well plotted & you feel for the main characters. The ending was a complete surprise to me.

A good follow up to this author’s first - of a series? I hope so. I can usually appreciate a good police procedural and this is just that. Not a put-down as it takes skill to write something that is believable and interesting as I suspect most police work is as humdrum as any other job in its own way. The plot got quite complex in parts but none the worse for that. I like the threads of personal life running through the main plot and it certainly ended on something of a cliffhanger. No spoilers but I guess this means I can anticipate a follow up; I shall look forward to that. My favourite character is Mina, the newest recruit to CID; I hope she continues.