Wednesday 31 January 2018

The Third Rule (Eddie Collins #1) by Andrew Barrett

Synopsis:

When you're accused of murder, you'd better hide, run, or fight.

The Third Rule is England's new infallible capital punishment. But absolute proof of guilt is no longer required, so there’s a queue at the Slaughter House doors.
CSI Eddie Collins hasn't killed anyone, but he knows who has. That’s why he’s on the Slaughter House list, and when a government hunter tracks him down, Eddie has to fight or die.

“If you want to kill serious crime, you have to kill serious criminals.”
Sir George Deacon, Minster of Justice.


My review:

This is the first in Eddie Collins series and what a start. I have actually already had the pleasure to meet Eddie in Ledston Luck and actually liked his unlikable character. But The Third Rule has given me a fab insight into why Eddie can be such an ungentlemanly character.

At first I was confused and slightly afraid of the amount of characters that were being thrown at me for the first quarter of the book, but Andy has a great way of marrying up the story of each and every person and it all just slots together beautifully.

The overarching theme of this novel is the idea of ultimate punishment. The Rules should provide the country with a legal way of cleansing society of dark characters that are not allowing the ‘normal’ law-abiding members of public to live their lives to the full as they hide behind closed doors afraid of being burgled, attacked, killed etc. On the surface, the idea is excellent. You commit a crime; you get rule one. You recommit, you get rule three. And well, if that doesn’t stop you then the bullet of rule three will.

However, what happens when the rules are used for someone’s own gain of power. Let’s say a police officer just wants that promotion and will convict the easy target for a quick conviction, even though the evidence points the other way. Or if a high-power politician uses the rules to cover up tracks from his own crimes.

It’s a superb question of morals and it’s so well written, it keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time you read it. Eddie is a very unlikely hero and that’s what’s most attractive about him, because underneath all the darkness, he is a good, fair character that will do anything to stop injustice.

My rating: 5/5

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