Strangers: The unforgettable crime thriller from the #1 bestseller

I am a big fan of the author's DS Heckenburg series so I felt a little let down to find he does not appear in "Strangers". However 'Strangers' follows a similar theme with a great plot, well-developed characters and (perhaps not to every reader's liking) some extreme violence. Nevertheless it is very fast moving, action packed and certainly in the 'could not put it down' category.

I dug the characters and enjoyed the story but it lacked the darkness that the beginning promised and was a bit more "cop action movie" than I enjoy.

I had a problem trying to understand the "proper English" this book is written in. I had to continually look up definitions which spoiled the actual reading of the book. This is not a fault of the author's, but mine for not understanding.

This was my first time reading Paul Finch and I was pleasantly surprised. He tells a good story with twists and turns. Definitely recommend.

Not such a bad book, some of the story line was a little far-fetched to my liking. It's somewhere between 3 & 4 stars.

I liked it, but certain parts of the plot were a bit unbelievable, especially when it came to legal process or law enforcement procedures.

This book is fantastic and should be made into a movie. I am an author as well, but after reading Strangers I can only hope that I could write as well in the future. It keeps you on your toes.

Okay. Not the best book I've ever read.

After reading the ridiculous prologue, where a new detective constable is left alone in the back of a van to guard a murder suspect, I nearly gave up on this one, but instead rolled my eyes and continued. Was it worth it? Well, just about, Strangers is entertaining enough I suppose. Lucy Clayburn is probably the worst Police Constable I've ever come across, especially for one who has aspirations to becoming a detective. She rants and raves, jumps to conclusions and heads off on wild goose chases without a second thought. Fortunately, she is best mates with that old mystery/thriller stalwart, Improbable Coincidence, who is used to lending a helping hand to get the job done. Clayburn either stumbles across clues or arrives at the right place at the right time to move things along. Like many other thriller protagonists, no amount of injuries prevent her from operating at maximum efficiency and taking down previously invincible villains with a flick of the (broken) wrist. Ridiculous but entertaining beats believable but boring, so Strangers just about deserves a 3 star rating.

How I quantify my scoring system, based on functionality, price, enjoyability and longevity:Five stars: completely exceeded my expectations and would highly recommendedFour stars: better than expected and would probably recommendedThree stars: met my expectations with no hidden surprises or shocksTwo stars: below my expectations and probably wouldn't recommendOne star: completely below my expectations and certainly wouldn't recommendHaving been a Paul Finch fan for years, I eagerly pre-ordered this and have only just finished it. And to be perfectly honest... it's nothing particularly special. Apart from a new heroine, this might as well be a Heck book it's so formulaic from Finch's earlier works. Endless chases by a superhuman protagonist along with overly descriptive settings that made me skip entire paragraphs - it's all in here padding out the page count.I've read all Finch's novels in order since first discovering him a few years ago but it pains me to say he's an author on a slippery slope with diminishing returns. I'd like to see something truly new, not just a new hero/heroine treading identical paths. It's not as dull as Dead Man Walking but nowhere near the heady heights of Stalkers and Sacrifice. Were this a movie it would be The Transporter episode Six only now without Jason Statham as the highly enjoyable but utterly brainless lead...Overall, it's simply average and I've come to expect more from a once very enjoyable author.

Paul Finch writes with credibility and great aplomb in this authentic crime novel featuring Lucy Claybourn, a cop brilliantly flawed as well as magnificent. She takes her career to the depths and brings it back up with sheer guts and determination. She’s Xena warrior, but no princess. She earns her badge but it doesn’t come easy. She’s certainly inspirational as she tackles her job, the villians, and her personal life in the same gutsy way. There’s secrets, hers that she is to unwittingly uncover, and those of others that she is tenacious is uncovering. She’s someone I would certainly want on my side.The themes in this book don’t shy away from the grimy darkness that lie on our streets, but you may want to take a torch with you when you walk them alone … I was seriously sitting on the edge of my seat as I rapidly turned the last hundred and fifty pages.Lucy Claybourn is a cop that I look forward to reading again and I eagerly await her career developments. More, please, Mr Finch!

I'm not usually into these cop caper tales but the idea of PC LucyClayburn going undercover to try and track a female serial killer,seemed a bit different, so I gave it a whirl.And I wasn't disappointed.I found it easy to get right into Lucy's character, as she was so ultrakeen to do well after her awful start.The action was well set and believable.And there's an interesting surprise near the end, which I wouldn't dreamof mentioning here.Just go and enjoy this nicely paced little thriller, and at the end youwill feel nicely entertained.

I have read all of Pauls books so was looking forward to this one but.....the main character Lucy is a bit too gung ho and gets into all sorts of scrapes more akin to a super ninja than an ordinary copper. Decent enough read but annoying as some of the places were fictitious and some real places but no proper research done. I live in that area and it was annoying when she says they turned north when they went south and then described a two lane road which is always chock full of cars as an open road. Niggles apart it was ok and I will be buying his next...but much prefer the Heck Heckenburg series.