Second To Sin by Murray Bailey

 

Second to Sin

Blackjack Book 2
Murray Bailey
5 Stars

Pages: 352
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Historical
Published: 06 March 2023
Publisher: Three Daggers an imprint of Heritage Books

Publisher's Blurb

"It only takes a second to sin," Father Thomas said. He believes in saving souls, but Charles Balcombe is beyond saving. His control over his killer instinct appears to be weakening. BlackJack has killed again and more questions are being asked of Detective Inspector Munro. He is under increasing pressure to solve the murders, especially when he picks up more cases from Kowloon rather than solving his own.
As Balcombe battles with his demon, he investigates the death of a young woman. Was it an accident or did she kill herself? At first Balcombe thinks it's straightforward but as he digs, other cases reveal an evil in Hong Kong. One that could consume them all.

Set in 1954, this is book 2 of the series. It can be read as a stand-alone but the author recommends book 1 (Once a Killer) first.
Perfect for fans of Chris Carter, David Baldacci and Tom Wood.

Review

Second To Sin is book two in Murray Bailey’s Blackjack series of thrillers which is a spin-off of his earlier Ash Carter series and follows hot on the heels of Once A Killer where we met Blackjack aka Charles Balcombe. If you haven’t read the Ash Carter books then they come highly recommended but you don’t need to have read them to appreciate the Blackjack series

A former military policeman, Charles left his previous life behind when his need to kill became a problem and he fled to Hong Kong to hide in plain sight.

Returning in book 2 are several other characters which compliment Balcombe’s dark character.

Detective Munro brings a lighter note in his dealings with the local coroner whilst Balcombe’s rickshaw driving sidekick Albert helps us to see a more human side to the man struggling to keep a lid on his murderous alter ego.

Whilst it is perfectly possible to read Second to Sin as a stand-alone I’d heartily suggest that you read Once A Killer first to fully appreciate the growing relationship between the anti-hero and the detective.

For me Book 1 was easily one of my favourite books of last year but Second To Sin is even better. Watching Charles’ struggle with his Mr Hyde like persona whilst immersing yourself in Munro’s more mundane investigations into a missing girl is a delight.

Mr Bailey has a knack for writing believable situations with characters that are both likable and real. Blackjack is part Jekyll/Hyde and part Dexter whilst Charles Balcombe is sophisticated and perfectly at home among the society elite living on the island.

In Second to Sin, Charles is asked by a friend to look into a potential suicide that was classified as an accidental death and this opens up an investigation into a possible serial killer.

Meanwhile Munro is under pressure to start getting results and is drawn to a missing persons case involving a young girl that drove his predecessor into early retirement due to a mental breakdown.

A plot that grabs you from the outset, keeps you hooked, and spits you out fulfilled at the end. Blackjack is one of those characters that you’ll find difficult to forget.

This is a series that just gets better and better

It’s going to have to be something special to knock this from my number one position for 2023. At least until Book 3 is available.

The Author

Murray Bailey was always interested in writing and, at an early age, had articles published in newspapers, including the Times. Despite studying Physics and Mathematics and pursuing a very different career, he also edited a magazine for a year as well as a batch of technical books.

After 10 years of scribbling, in 2016 his first published novel was I Dare You. He went on to demonstrate his passion for ancient Egypt and puzzles in his novel Map of the Dead. However the Singapore series featuring the ex-military policeman Ash Carter was a labour of love and based on his first unpublished story that eventually became Singapore 52.

Born in Greater Manchester, England, he gradually moved south to reach the beautiful Dorset coast where he lives with his wife and family. Having young children and an all-consuming passion such as writing doesn’t leave much free time, but when he does take a break, he enjoys running, cycling, kayaking and building sandcastles with his children.

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