Praise for HARD PLACE #1 in the Det. Insp. Todd "Ratso" Holtom series. "Wow What a page turner I can't wait for the next release. A definite 5-star from me " "Fantastic read, great characters, gripping storyline. Definitely want to read more adventures from Ratso. Roaring success Mr Stewart " "This book engenders the same get-to-the-end compulsion for the reader as does a Harlan Coben crime suspense or a Simon Kernick or Mark Billingham police novel... the prose is easy to read and the plot is enthralling." "Douglas Stewart has done a great job and has created in Detective Ratso a character who is quick-witted, clever and a worthy addition to the action thriller genre." "It is as if the author has inside knowledge of these characters and places; their portrayal is simple, effective and truly insightful." "Each chapter leaves you eager to continue reading. This was the first of Stewart's novels I have read but I will definitely read more." "In Hard Place, author Douglas Stewart offers up an oh-so-British thriller brimming with chilling mayhem, questionable police tactics, tough and terrible villains and a deep understanding of the real world of crime and cops. Try to put it down - I highly recommend." "I read a lot of thrillers and Hard Place is high up on my list of favourites." "Hard Place is inspired by a real-life event, though Douglas Stewart has transformed this into an entertaining crime thriller in the same manner as Roger Donaldson's 2008 film "The Bank Job." "I will definitely buy more "Ratso" publications." "Eat your heart out David Hosp." ..". A very enjoyable read. It's a fast moving thriller in which you feel you really get to know the characters.... Each chapter leaves you eager to continue reading." "The plot was fast paced, characters well-constructed and believable. There are many twists and turns which makes the book very difficult to put down." "Couldn't stop reading, this was worth 5 stars." HARD PLACE - THE PREQUEL Only some twenty pages long, this short teaser introduces Det. Insp. Todd "Ratso" Holtom, a London detective. I Ratso is on the French Riviera in Monte Carlo and tracking a London drug baron who is aboard his superyacht for dirty business. Ratso's groundwork leads into the dramatic action at the start of Hard Place, a full length mystery thriller which opens with immediate tense and dramatic action. I hope The Prequel intrigues you to buy the superbly reviewed HARD PLACE and gets you hooked on this new series involving Ratso, this risk-taking London detective.