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His First His Second: An Alicia Friend Investigation Kindle Edition

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 5,438 ratings

A detective who’s too nice for her own good. A father who will do anything to save his daughter. A killer who’s always one step ahead.

Detective Sergeant Alicia Friend hides her sharp instincts behind a disarming smile, but beneath her friendly exterior, she’s one of the force’s best. Now, she’s been called in to stop a kidnap-murder spree that has left the police baffled — and with another victim missing, the clock is ticking.

But Richard, the father of the latest victim, isn’t waiting for the police to catch up. With a dark past and a brutal set of skills, he launches his own investigation, determined to find his daughter — no matter who gets in his way.

As Richard’s vigilante actions sabotage the case at every turn, Alicia faces an impossible choice: work with a man she can’t trust or risk letting the killer slip away.

Get ready for a gripping page-turner in His First His Second — the electrifying start of the Alicia Friend thriller series.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Set in and around the Yorkshire city of Leeds, the book is an intriguing mix of police procedural and serial killer thriller, that will tease, involve and unnerve you.

The plot is dense and attention must be paid to these almost conflicting storylines as the book progresses, but it enriches the reading experience as your attention is pulled hither and thither. At certain points early on a small leap of faith is required for the more outlandish plot turns to work, but it all adds to the fun. With a host of interweaving and engaging plot strands there is a playful feel at times as Davies attempts to wrong foot and challenge us, which works very well indeed.


An entertaining and intriguing debut" - Crime Fiction Lover

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00O6FFWMQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sterling & Stone (November 20, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 20, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2523 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 574 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 5,438 ratings

About the author

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A.D. Davies
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A. D. Davies grew up in Leeds, West Yorkshire. In high school his ambition was to be a writer of horror novels, although in adult life he became an avid fan of crime fiction. After a long stint in an unsatisfying job, he attended the University of Leeds where he attained a degree in creative writing. Shortly after graduation, he moved to the Midlands to marry the love of his life.

He is well-travelled, his favourite destinations being New Zealand and Vietnam, which has influenced his writing immensely (as seen in his novel The Dead and the Missing). For now, however, globe-trotting is taking a back-seat to raising his two children and writing, although he hopes to one day combine all three.

He now resides in Staffordshire, UK, with his wife and two children.

Connect in the following ways:

Twitter: @authoraddavies

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authoraddavies

Website: www.addavies.com (including email list sign-up)

A.D. Davies is also on Goodreads. Do say hi.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
5,438 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book has a suspenseful and intriguing plot with unexpected twists. They describe it as an engaging read with well-developed characters and an intelligent writing style. The book keeps readers hooked throughout with its fast-paced and exciting storyline. They appreciate the humor and find the book entertaining.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

211 customers mention "Suspenseful story"177 positive34 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful story with its fast pace and twists. They find the plot engaging with interesting characters and continuity. The storyline keeps them hooked until the end. While some readers felt the story started off well, others found it dragged at certain points. Overall, customers enjoyed the gripping tale of a serial killer on the loose who is targeting young women.

"Congratulations A.D.Davies on your first mystery novel. Great plot, continuity, interesting characters and pretty good grammar and punctuation...." Read more

"...Twists and turns that keep you up at night to get to the conclusion." Read more

"...His gift is not only with plot composition and beautifully crafted characters, but he also has a penchant for unique dialogue that serves his story..." Read more

"...I felt Davies tried too hard to create suspense. It's a good plot, no silly mistakes, no illogicalities, but multiple psychopaths?..." Read more

166 customers mention "Readability"166 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it engaging with well-developed characters and a good plot without silly mistakes or illogicalities.

"...book from A.D.Davies in the not too distant future.... Good reading to you all." Read more

"This book has so much going on and starts out at a breakneck pace. Twists and turns that keep you up at night to get to the conclusion." Read more

"...It's a good plot, no silly mistakes, no illogicalities, but multiple psychopaths?..." Read more

"His first his second I enjoyed every page of this book. It is exciting, intelligently written and has great character development...." Read more

99 customers mention "Character development"82 positive17 negative

Customers enjoy the well-developed characters and engaging storyline. They find the protagonist Alicia interesting with a perky personality and computer brain. The book provides humor and surprises, keeping readers hooked until the end.

"...Great plot, continuity, interesting characters and pretty good grammar and punctuation...." Read more

"...His gift is not only with plot composition and beautifully crafted characters, but he also has a penchant for unique dialogue that serves his story..." Read more

"I really liked this. I loved the characters, somehow Davies made quirky, spunky Alicia believable...." Read more

"...It is exciting, intelligently written and has great character development...." Read more

66 customers mention "Writing quality"56 positive10 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality of the book. They find it intelligently written with great character development and are easy to read. The author has an imagination and a penchant for unique dialogue that serves the story well. The plot is easy to follow, with no silly mistakes or illogicalities.

"...Great plot, continuity, interesting characters and pretty good grammar and punctuation...." Read more

"...and beautifully crafted characters, but he also has a penchant for unique dialogue that serves his story well. This book is a winner all around...." Read more

"...It's a good plot, no silly mistakes, no illogicalities, but multiple psychopaths?..." Read more

"...I enjoyed every page of this book. It is exciting, intelligently written and has great character development...." Read more

56 customers mention "Interest"40 positive16 negative

Customers find the book engaging with an intriguing plot and complex characters. The prologue hooks them from the start with its creepy atmosphere. They find the story gripping and exciting, with no dull moments.

"...Good atmosphere and a good plot... up to a point. I felt Davies tried too hard to create suspense...." Read more

"...It really is a good one. The author manages a fresh. unique and original spin on the traditional Serial Killer genre, something not..." Read more

"I finished this dreadful book just to see if it ever improved. It didn't...." Read more

"...The prologue alone is creepy, captivating and hooked me from the get go. I knew I was in for a great read and I was not disappointed...." Read more

53 customers mention "Pacing"44 positive9 negative

Customers find the book's pacing engaging. They say it starts out at a fast pace and keeps them hooked until the end. The story flows smoothly throughout, with an excellent storyline and well-developed characters.

"...Overall this story was really enjoyable and the pace was terrific. I couldn't put it down, polished it off in two days...." Read more

"This book has so much going on and starts out at a breakneck pace. Twists and turns that keep you up at night to get to the conclusion." Read more

"...and has written a novel that grabs us by the throat and keeps us in suspense (as well as some rollicking insights) until the surprising end...." Read more

"...I loved the characters, somehow Davies made quirky, spunky Alicia believable. Good atmosphere and a good plot... up to a point...." Read more

11 customers mention "Humor"8 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the humor in the book. They find it entertaining without being too lighthearted for the subject matter.

"...Drama, suspense, humor, mystery and shock. Its all there." Read more

"wonderful Alicia, the silly, cute but expert cop and psychologist everyone in the cop shop learns to love...." Read more

"A stupid and foolish piece of trash! Psycho babble coupled with unreal situations...." Read more

"Very enjoyable story. It had humor and surprises. Alicia is a very interesting character. The supporting cast were also well developed." Read more

14 customers mention "Violence level"0 positive14 negative

Customers find the book violent and gruesome. They mention the descriptive violence, serial killers, and unprofessional behavior of the female detective. The story is described as a gory murder story with multiple psychopaths. However, some readers found the writing engaging and found it frightening.

"...It's a good plot, no silly mistakes, no illogicalities, but multiple psychopaths?..." Read more

"...She exhibited unprofessional behavior but I kept hoping she would redeem herself...." Read more

"...For another thing, she is a very poor judge of men...." Read more

"...Be aware that there is some very descriptive violence...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2014
    Congratulations A.D.Davies on your first mystery novel. Great plot, continuity, interesting characters and pretty good grammar and punctuation. Your editor made a few tiny mistakes or it may have been when the book was translated to the e format but this certainly did not detract from the story. Overall this story was really enjoyable and the pace was terrific. I couldn't put it down, polished it off in two days. I'd like to see DS Friend take it down just a tad and also like to know a little more of her background explaining more fully her verve and jingoism for the work. At the same time it would be nice to see DI Murphy ramp it up a tad and also see more info on his character and past. I'd also like to know more about Ball and Cleaver to really get to know who they are as I'm sure they'll be in your next novel. For a first time writer I commend you - this is a really good mystery and I'd definitely read your next. Being British I'm partial to crime noir stories set in the U.K. because for some reason they always seem grittier than U.S. based mysteries, and I do get the feeling A.D.Davies is leaning to the crime noir genre in his first book. This is also partly due to me being a fan of the true "crime noir" writers who all seem to be British or Irish like Derek Raymond and Ken Bruen. Please don't take offence reader, I love American crime noir writers however in my opinion, and mine only, the U.S. set crime noir is not as off the wall and as mind blowing as the British and Irish fare. I recommend to readers and A.D.Davies a book published last september "The Takeover" by Jonathan Dunne another new and exciting crime noir writer. So readers give this book a try - you will not be disappointed. Here's hoipng we see another book from A.D.Davies in the not too distant future.... Good reading to you all.
    8 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2024
    This book has so much going on and starts out at a breakneck pace. Twists and turns that keep you up at night to get to the conclusion.
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2014
    British author A. D. Davies grew up in Leeds, West Yorkshire and gained his degree in Creative Writing from the University of Leeds. A avid traveler he lists his favorite destinations as New Zealand and Vietnam and now lives in Staffordshire, UK, with his wife and two children.

    AD Davies has that particular skill to frighten the reader of HIS FIRST HIS SECOND (surprisingly his debut novel!) with a Prologue that is ghastly yet stimulates that desire to find out what exactly is the explanation for the imaginative scene that has been created. In other words, he provides a snappily written hook that draws us into this thriller mystery novel. WE begin to understand the setup in the first chapter that introduces Detective inspector Donald Murphy faced with a rather heinous crime - two kidnap murders of tow young women who strangely resemble each other (we learn that in the prologue when Katie Hague is posted in a chair opposite her near identical image). To increase the tension a third victim has gone missing (her father Richard is determined to outwit the police in their sluggish investigation - Richard having a dark past of his own). Enter Detective Sergeant Alicia Friend, a perky, bubbly nice female police officer who at first seems a challenge to the grumpy but honest Murphy, but f=gradually gains his trust and attention. What profiler Alicia and Murphy must unravel is a series of serial killings and the very best aspects of intelligent police investigation tactics make the unraveling of the facts fascinating as well as information. It is the crosswire of the investigative shenanigans of Richard that stir the stew and add to the horror of the mystery as strange characters into the tale to keep the motion at top speed.

    Davies knows this territory (one wonders how he gained so much information about criminal investigation!) and has written a novel that grabs us by the throat and keeps us in suspense (as well as some rollicking insights) until the surprising end. His gift is not only with plot composition and beautifully crafted characters, but he also has a penchant for unique dialogue that serves his story well. This book is a winner all around. Grady Harp, December 14
    9 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2022
    The playful Alicia is over the top for the usual stodgy police, as some have mentioned, but I found that interesting and not out of the realm of possible. The various story lines were nicely intertwined up to about the 80% point of the book. Then the story hinged on stupid things happening, Alicia forgetting most of her intelligence and training, turning into a silly kid - maybe the dumb evil twin? OK, that was bad, but the total reverse of her personality was pretty bad just so there could be some crescendo ending. And an extremely murderous psychopath suddenly being a goody two shoes nice guy? Uh, nope. Tiger stripes don't change that much. Some other things were too much, but if you are happy with what I've said, I won't spoil those bits for you.
    I would have like more time spent on a better developed last 20%.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2017
    I really liked this. I loved the characters, somehow Davies made quirky, spunky Alicia believable.
    Good atmosphere and a good plot... up to a point. I felt Davies tried too hard to create suspense. It's a good plot, no silly mistakes, no illogicalities, but multiple psychopaths? Davies makes it work, and even had me believing that the country was full of serial killers but after a while I was getting lost in the intricacies. X killed Y after Y called Z but Z had threatened X because Z had killed A to get back at X killing Y, or something like that...

    Advice (unsolicited!) to the author: Slow it down, unravel the multiple plots and write two books instead of one and you've got 5 stars!
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Donna
    5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating
    Reviewed in Canada on September 3, 2023
    This book is fantastic, you can't put it down. Full of twists and turns the main character is amazing. The ending is unexpected and can't wait to read the second book of this series.
  • sanjay kumar singh
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good
    Reviewed in India on October 30, 2019
    Like the
  • flyingdutchman
    4.0 out of 5 stars Un bel thriller, ma troppo violento
    Reviewed in Italy on August 22, 2019
    é la solita storia del maniaco, che ammazza le ragazze innocenti in modo crudele. La poliziotta ha pure i suoi problemi, e poi c'è la complicazione di un ex FBI americano. Insomma gli ingredienti ci sono e se piace il genere è un libro scritto abbastanza bene. La finale è un po troppo violenta per i miei gusti...
  • JE Caradec
    3.0 out of 5 stars Histoire compliquée. Anglais idiomatique.
    Reviewed in France on March 16, 2019
    Idées intéressantes mais mal exploitées. Les personnages sont nombreux et mal identifiés. Des longueurs dans la première partie. Anglais britannique plus difficile à comprendre. Mais je suis allé jusqu'au bout et je repense à certaines situations du livre.
  • David Alexander Forde
    3.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat one sided
    Reviewed in Germany on May 13, 2019
    I enjoyed reading this story but in all honestly, I have read more exciting ones!

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