PERFECT FOR FANS OF SUSIE STEINER

Someone is dead because of Jamie. Yesterday they were alive.

Jamie Worth is a newly qualified as a firearms officer and is called to a domestic disturbance. Events get out of hand, and he shoots and kills a teenaged girl who appears to have been unarmed.

Already wracked with guilt, he is horrified when, with the media baying for blood, he is accused of murder.

How can a police officer survive in prison when he suddenly finds himself on the wrong side of the law? And how can his wife Cath and ex Anna come to terms with what has happened?

From the author of THE TWILIGHT TIME, AFTER THE FIRE is a chilling glimpse of the flipside of life as a law enforcer, written in 'stiletto-sharp prose' (The Herald) by one of the most exciting new voices in crime fiction.

Praise for Karen Campbell

'Gritty as all hell, shot through with black humour and with enough pace and atmosphere to give the likes of Denise Mina a run for their money. All this and the chutzpah to create a seedy and unpleasant superintendent named Rankin!'
font size="+1">Mark Billingham

'The plot is wonderful, the characterisation of a family in crisis is both sharp and sympathetic, and the author does not shy away from examining the less palatable aspects of relations between the police and the public'
Guardian

'I loved it . . . Anna is a great, original character and Karen Campbell has a great way with images'
Kate Atkinson

'Karen Campbell deserves to be admitted to membership of what's becoming a very large club - Scottish crime writers of excellence . . . As to be expected from a former police officer, Campbell portrays her milieu with harsh authenticity, and Anna Cameron is wholly believable in her unheroic role. Glasgow and its citizens are described with vivid passion'
The Times

'a writer of immense talent and emotional power, and on the brink of huge success.' - Daily Express

About the Author
Karen Campbell is a former police officer who lives in Glasgow with her family. She began writing in earnest on the renowned Glasgow University Creative Writing course. AFTER THE FIRE is her second novel.

Reviews
The plot is wonderful, the characterisation of a family in crisis is both sharp and sympathetic, and the author does not shy away from examining the less palatable aspects of relations between the police and the public. * Guardian *
It's a cracking plot, and Campbell's writing is informed not only by her own experience, but by the considerable amount of research she has put into the legal and psychological risks run by firearms officers * Daily Mail *
The characters from Campbell's blistering debut THE TWILIGHT TIME return and they bring with them the sharp, perceptive prose and meticulous attention to detail that are fast establishing the author as a literary force to be reckoned with. * Daily Record *
'Looks set to cement her reputation . . . she handles this topical and gripping tale with expert skill.' * News of the World *
Raw, real and so evocative you can almost hear the screams. Bang those drums and get the word out... if this debut is a true reflection of her talent then she's going to be huge. * Daily Record *
This book is the best that I have read all this year, with a truly gripping plot and a really atmospheric characterisation . . . only the second [novel] by this astonishingly good new author . . . The quality of the writing was exceptional. * www.eurocrime.co.uk on AFTER THE FIRE *
Karen expertly weaves her prose so well, that you feel yourself living, breathing and even sympathising with the characters . . . thought-provoking and engaging, ideal book club fodder * www.shotsmag.co.uk *



Book Information
ISBN 9780340935620
Author Karen Campbell
Format Paperback
Page Count 480
Imprint Hodder & Stoughton
Publisher Hodder & Stoughton
Weight(grams) 320g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 128mm * 30mm