Deadly Conicidence- Blog Tour

 

Author: Robert McCracken 

Publisher: Joffe Books

Publishing Date: 3rd November 2026 

Many thanks to ZooLoos BT and the publishing team for my digital copy and a spot on the blog tour 

Blurb 

A refitted fire engine is hauled out of the Mersey. Inside are two bodies, each shot twice.

The driver is Mel Townsend, a rock singer who was covering a hen-party shift as a favour. Her passenger is a Swiss man she collected from the airport at midnight. The only clue to his identity is the figurine of a cat in his suitcase, packed in a velvet-lined box.

It looks like a professional hit.

Detective Tara Grogan assumes Mel was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then Mel's father walks into the station. He is Lord Kingholm, a wealthy peer, and he hasn't spoken to his daughter in nearly four years.

His estranged wife died when a minibus plunged off a mountain road in Nepal. His son was killed in a boating accident off the Dorset coast.

Now his daughter is dead.

Kingholm calls it a tragic coincidence. Tara isn't so sure.

My Thoughts 

Deadly Coincidence by Robert McCracken is the ninth instalment in the DI Tara Grogan series, but don't let that put you off if, like me, you're new to the series. This was my first introduction to DI Grogan and I found it worked brilliantly as a standalone read, with no difficulty getting to grips with the characters or the storyline.

This is a thoroughly engaging police procedural that had me hooked from the outset. Packed with twists, turns and plenty of intrigue, it kept me guessing throughout, constantly making me question what was really going on and how all the different pieces of the puzzle would eventually fit together. Just when I thought I was beginning to work things out, another detail would emerge to make me rethink everything.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed was the way the author weaves together several different threads, each with its own significance and story to tell. There are multiple characters and situations to keep track of, and for much of the book, you're left wondering which direction the investigation is heading and what, if anything, connects the seemingly separate events. I loved that sense of uncertainty and how the different strands gradually began to intertwine, building towards a tense, gripping and genuinely dangerous finale.

There is also a really nice balance between the police investigation and the personal lives of those involved. The story doesn't focus solely on the procedural side of things; instead, we get glimpses into the lives, relationships and circumstances of the wider cast. Both the main characters and those with smaller roles are given enough depth to make them feel relevant, adding another layer to the overall story without distracting from the central investigation.

And the title? Deadly Coincidence is particularly fitting. I appreciated how its significance only really becomes apparent as the story unfolds, with everything coming together towards the end. It's one of those titles that makes much more sense once you've reached the final pages!

Overall, this was a really enjoyable read and a great introduction to Robert McCracken's writing. I loved the multiple storylines, the steady build-up of tension and the way everything eventually comes together. If you're a fan of police procedurals with an intriguing mystery, a strong cast of characters and plenty to keep you guessing, this is definitely one to add to your reading list.

Having enjoyed this one so much, I'm now keen to go back to the beginning and get to know DI Tara Grogan a little better. Definitely a series I'll be looking out for again!