Once A Killer by Murray Bailey #BookReview #BlackJack1 #HeritageBooks #5*

He changed his identity.

He moved to Hong Kong.
He changed his life.
But can he change who he really is?

Charles Balcombe, sophisticated, risk-taking lothario was a special investigator. He thinks that taking a PI job to find a missing boy will distract him from his killer instinct.

But once a killer…

A Powerful Read!

Given the opportunity to read a new novel by Murray Bailey, I couldn’t resist even if I wanted to – and I was rewarded by an exciting, riveting read.

‘Blackjack’ is in Hong Kong, using the pseudonym of Charles Balcombe – a charming, handsome gentleman with a penchant for the ladies. His alter ego, however, is a former military man with formidable skills, an unerring nose for trouble and a strong moral compass favouring the underdog. A fascinating character with an unusual hobby, I was never quite sure what was going to happen next, which made this an exciting and unpredictable read and it took me some time to work out whether I was on his side or not, but by the end of the novel I was firmly in his corner.

Life in Hong Kong in the 1950’s was an eye-opener and I was both astonished and astounded by the unsavoury details which emerged. For all Charles Balcombe is a very private man, he developed the most wonderful relationship with his rickshaw driver which made me smile throughout; but don’t get the idea that this is a light read – it is action-packed, seat-of-his-pants thriller that you want to race through to the very end while at the same time trying to slow down so you don’t get to the finish! Blackjack is a character which intrigues me; I’m never sure if he has his ‘gentleman’s hat’ on or his ‘street persona’ and I desperately want to read more about both. Not just a good read, this was a powerful, exhilarating experience and one I can’t wait to repeat! Murray Bailey never disappoints and I have a feeling that this will turn out to be one of my favourite series. An easy five stars – and deserving of each and every one. Highly recommended.

My thanks to the author for my arc of his novel; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.

Tags: thriller

• Format: ebook, paperback, hardcover
• Size: 322 pages
• Publisher: Three Daggers, Heritage Books
• Publication Date: 01 September 2022
• Book Links:
• https://www.goodreads.com
• https://www.waterstones.com
• https://www.amazon.co.uk

Author Details

Murray Bailey is the author of Amazon bestseller Map of the Dead, the first of the series based on his interest in Egyptology. His main series however is the Ash Carter thrillers, inspired by his father’s experience in the Royal Military Police in Singapore in the early 1950s.

Murray is well traveled, having worked in the US, South America and a number of European countries throughout his career as a management consultant. However he also managed to find the time to edit books, contribute to articles and act as a part-time magazine editor.

Murray lives on the south coast of England with his family and a dog called Teddy.

• Website: https://www.murraybaileybooks.com/
• Twitter: @MurrayBaileybks
• Facebook: @MurrayBaileyAuthor

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