The first week of The Shadow Men’s three-week-long book tour is now over, and the reviews have come in thick and fast – all positive, I’m pleased to say, some of them exceptionally so. I thought I’d pick out a few highlights…

Reading in the Fast Lane says it’s “the first book I have read in a long time that I know I will read more than once”, while Take A Look At My Bookshelf calls it “a really interesting read” and enjoyed the book for “the plot and great characters”. Likewise, My Book Journey describes it as “a brilliant book” and “a very interesting read”.

Books by Bindu calls it “a gritty, darkly compelling book which at places took my breath away”, and was impressed by its empathetic handling of the dark themes. Books with Gina makes a similar point, highlighting the book’s “fantastic job of navigating” its subject matter, and stating that “there were plenty of points where I couldn’t put the book down!”

Dreaming of Selfcare says it’s “a gripping thriller and that she “warmed to [Anna] straight away and continued to root for her as the story developed”. In fact, Anna seems – somewhat to my surprise – to have been a hit with several reviewers: Debjani’s Thoughts praises the “three-dimensional” characters and “loved Anna the most”, as well as being impressed by the way yours truly blends the “multiple threads in the plot”, creating “a gripping plot”.

TJ a Book a Day “did not want to put it down” either, and describes it as “atmospheric, gritty and dark but engaging and immersive”, with a storyline “like a jigsaw puzzle”. Books with Becki “didn’t guess the twists” and “flew through the book”, while the Insomniac Book Club is “absolutely hooked and calls it “a really excellent read”.

Finally, a couple of additional high-profile reviews from some esteemed publications…

Writing in the Financial Times, Barry Forshaw declares it to be “authoritative fare as ever from Mackenzie”, and Paul Burke in NB Magazine calls it “a satisfying layered mystery” with “strong story telling and intriguing characters”.

If these testimonials have whetted your appetite, you can grab your copy today on Kindle at the early bird price of £1.99 (UK)/$2.99 (US) – a 50% discount that will remain in place until the end of the blog tour.

Check back next week for another round of review highlights!