The central protagonist is female, an armed forces veteran and living on the streets of London. That should be enough to pique the interest of readers, it certainly got me hooked and curious to see the direction of the story arc. The story is a simple one, a search for justice for her friend Doug, who the police believe is guilty of killing a sex worker and then killing himself by self-immolation, accidently or by suicide in remorse. The initial circumstantial evidence would seem to support this theory and a police force short of resources applies Occam’s Razor. Why look for complications, after all its just a prostitute and a tramp… Shrap Nelson knew Doug well and doesn’t fall for this lazy answer, he couldn’t have done it, here are two victims who deserve better and she goes out to prove it. In doing so she manages to forge an unlikely alliance with a young DC Gareth Trevelyan, another individual with troubles of his own. Some red herrings are introduced to the plot, but it doesn’t over complicate matters, it gets a little slack in the final quarter but ends with a nice piece of ‘hidden in plain sight’. Moreover, this is a story to introduce an engaging but complex central character who needs a broad canvas to be portrayed. The name Shrap is of course a nickname, we do not learn how this is arrived at, my guess would be it comes from shrapnel. We do however discover her Christian name though and that certainly explains why she goes by Shrap! She was an MP and during her last tour of duty saw her colleagues killed in an IED and was captured tortured over several days and left for dead. Her body could be repaired but not her mind. She left the forces clearly suffering for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and survivor guilt. Unable to cope her home life disintegrated and now she lives an anonymous life on the streets. The effects of the PTSD and living on the streets are referenced throughout and are dealt with a deft and thoughtful touch. This manages to elicit much sympathy in the reader for people in both predicaments and it will be fascinating to see how this develops through the series. Of the character interactions, the dynamic between Shrap and policeman Gareth is the most interesting one. An unlikely alliance that moves to mutual respect with possibly a hint of more to come? When it comes to themes then dignity and humanity of treatment are at the front. From the newspapers looking for the salacious, quick to brand a woman as a sex worker, to members of the public discounting a homeless man as a bum, it's all there. We are often quick to discount those who are different, the downtrodden, without a though of life from their perspective, most are there through ill luck and some have harrowing stories. The author certainly brings these characters to life within this story, giving us pause for thought with the uncomfortable journeys they have experienced to end up where they are. Then there is the rather shabby treatment of our forces’ veterans, men and women discarded with little thought to their futures. When you are programmed to obey and trained to kill is it any wonder adjustment to life of ‘civvy street’ can be so daunting. There are moments of brightness and optimism to offset the bleak story though. Shrap finding simple pleasures in life emphasised by the attraction of the dawn, the possibly of a new day bringing the possibility of a new beginning. Then there are the simple acts of kindness that can mean so much more to the receiver than the giver can ever imagine. Most of all is the sense of loyalty and camaraderie amongst those who have served, the support of friends and those who share common experience and the ethos of nobody left behind. As a thriller it buzzes along nicely and never flags. There is plenty of danger and jeopardy, so action fans won’t feel short changed.

There's a reason why Biba Pearce was shortlisted for a Crime Writer's Association Dagger Award a few years ago; she's a fine crime author and this first book in her new series is an explosive, compelling read with an incredible lead character. Shrap Nelson is a woman unlike any other that I've read about. She's vulnerable, but so strong. She's reliable, yet questions herself all of the time. She's the type of woman who you'd certainly want on your side, and not as an enemy. Shrap lives on the streets of London. She served in the Military Police for years, fighting in the most dangerous of places, seeing things that should never be seen, experiencing events that have changed her. However, it is the effects of the PTSD that are her worse enemies now. Shrap gave up her life, her home, her relationship to live on the streets. Trying to escape, but never quite getting there. When Shrap's old mate Doug is accused of the murder of a dancer in the city, and is then found dead himself, she knows that Doug was innocent. She also knows that he didn't take his own life, and despite her own inner battles and the dangers she faces, she is determined to clear his name. Doug saved her, she wants to save his reputation. DC Gareth Trevelyan has recently moved to the area from another part of London, he has his own baggage to deal with and when he's assigned these cases, at first it all seems clear cut. Then he meets Shrap and there's a spark, despite her appearance, her mystery, her current living conditions he can see that there's more to Shrap than meets the eye. Before long, they are working together. Not officially of course, but Shrap can be invisible, she's clever, she's working it all out. This is a compelling, exciting crime story that had me gripped. Not only is the plotting superb, but the characters are just perfectly created. Pearce brings London to life too, as Shrap walks the streets, both the glitzy touristy areas, and the mean, dark back streets, the reader really can get a feel for the place. There's some violence, but it is done with flair and style, not overly bloody and just adds depth to the dangers that Shrap and Gareth face along the way. An excellent beginning to a new series. I can't wait to meet Shrap and Gareth again soon.

Shrap was once Sergeant Persephone Nelson of the Special Investigations Branch, the military equivalent to CID. Until Afghanistan, watching her colleagues blown to pieces, then captured and tortured by the Taliban and left to die on a freezing road. Despite a year back at Aldershot, the PTSD finally won and, discharged on health grounds, she abandoned her home and boyfriend to live on the streets and try to escape her nightmares. A year on and she now faces a new one. Her friend Doug, another veteran, has been killed after becoming prime suspect in the murder of a woman. The police at Southwark think it’s an open and shut case, except for DC Gareth Trevelyan. He’s met Shrap and like her, he believes there’s more to this case than an accident or suicide. Like Shrap, he thinks he can prove Doug was murdered. So each of them sets out individually to do this, eventually coming to work together but little do they realise what a huge and dangerous case they are about to uncover. What a brilliant new character we have in Shrap, unafraid to face danger and use all her old skills from her days in the Royal Engineers and later SIB, despite the inner demons she battles daily. Once a detective, always a detective, and she still believes in justice but now, outside the confines of the legal system, she can employ wider ranging and less lawful methods to discover the truth. Being a homeless person really does (very sadly) make her invisible to many people and this anonymity, together with some very good and interesting contacts, places her perfectly in this story to do some great sleuthing where witnesses will talk to her rather than the police. I also really like Gareth and his reluctance to leave a case alone until he is fully satisfied he has the right culprit. I loved their respect for each other and the growing friendship emerging between the two of them, and I’m really looking forward to reading book 2, An Unlikely Saviour. 5*