Truth Lies Bleeding (Di Rob Brennan 1) [Kindle Edition]

For everyone who loves crime fiction Tony Black is simply a must read!
Black introduces DI Rob Brennan in this story and he's a total different character than his hot tempered ever cursing Gus Dury from his other four novels (if you don't know what I'm talking about read those right away, too!).
Brennan has been on leave after the murder of his younger brother and now returns to a very grim case of a slaughtered young girl whose baby is missing and in the race against time finding the baby Brennan has to deal not only with bastard colleagues, his lover and his wife but also his Alexis Carrintonesque boss.
As always Black manages to tie his main character Brennan's personal story into the tight woven and fast paced crime story and introduces you to great characters that you instantly warm up to (or hate, for that matter) and takes you right into the brewery smell covered streets of Edinburgh. Truth Lies Bleedng is definitely a book for which the term "page-turner" has been invented for!
Anyone who hasn't read Tony Black yet should definitely do so! What are you waiting for?

'Truth Lies Bleeding' launches a new Scottish detective with the appearance of Detective Inspector Rob Brennan of Lothian and Borders Police. He has just returned from psychiatric leave after being traumatised by the still unsolved shooting of his brother. Brennan is thrown back in at the deep end when he has to investigate the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a young girl's mutilated body in an Edinburgh alleyway.

As the story unfolds DI Brennan knows the case is in chaos, nothing was fitting together. He knew there was a bigger picture, something that linked up the missing pieces and the author takes you on an enthralling journey as Brennan battles to find the truth.

The prologue gives an immediate taster of the excellent descriptive style of writing and draws you into the story. It shocks yet lures you in to find out more.

I had thought I was familiar with all the writers of Scottish crime fiction but have to admit I hadn't come across Tony Black's work before. I didn't know what I was missing!

Although I believe he is now predominantly resident in Australia, he is bang up to date with descriptions of Edinburgh's congestion and traffic chaos caused by road works for installation of the trams etc. He has truly captured the essence of Edinburgh, the traits and behaviour of individuals and develops his characters well.

It would be a crime not to read this book - I certainly hope we will can look forward to the development of more DI Brennan cases in future.

When four teenagers find the dismembered body of teenage runaway Carly Donald in a dumpster on one of Edinburgh's worst housing schemes, Inspector Rob Brennan is put on the case. He's only just back at work, having been off on psychiatric leave, after the murder of his brother. If that wasn't bad enough, it's apparent that the young girl has very recently given birth - and the baby is missing. Add to that more than a few problems at home and at work, and you know that things are going to get a tad difficult. This is an excellent police procedural novel and Rob Brennan is a thoroughly engaging and believable protagonist. He is likeable despite his dark side, and is a genuinely good cop. He has strong instincts and isn't afraid to follow them, and once he's got his teeth into a case he won't give up, no matter what the personal and professional cost may be.

The book takes a very dark and difficult topic and treats it with sensitivity and complete lack of sensationalism. Yet it's a thrilling, chilling enthralling read.I am a huge fan of Tony Black's Gus Dury series, so I was prepared to be grumpy that TRUTH LIES BLEEDING was Gus-less. At the very least, I thought it would take a little while for Inspector Rob Brennan to grow on me. Not so. It was like being snogged by Johnny Depp when you're apprehensively anticipating Shane McGowan.