Ten Seconds by Robert Gold

 

When news editor Madeline Wilson is kidnapped, her family is in a race against time to rescue her. The only clue they have is a cryptic link to a twelve-year-old murder.

I have enjoyed all three of the books in the Ben Harper series by Robert Gold, however, I think Ten Seconds is the best to date. The book works well as a stand-alone story, however reading the previous two books in the series gives a greater understanding of the characters involved in Ten Seconds.

Investigative journalist Ben Harper lives on the outskirts of London in the town of Haddley, a town where everyone seems to be harbouring a secret. Fans of the series will know that Ben is the type of character who never gives up when he has a story in his sights, even if his own life is put at risk. The situation is no different in Ten Seconds.

Madeline Wilson is Ben’s boss, she’s also the daughter of Sam Hardy, Ben’s old mentor. Sam is now retired but Ben still turns to him for advice, there is almost a father-and-son style relationship between the pair. With this in mind, Ben is determined to help find Madeline. The kidnappers have stressed that the police are not to be contacted so the pair have to use the skills they have developed as journalists. This also puts Ben in a difficult position as his girlfriend is a police officer.

Ben and Sam realise that the kidnapping is linked to an old murder case. Years ago the police had given up trying to solve the case, but Madeline refused to give up and through dogged determination and relentless reporting an arrest and conviction was finally brought about. As Ben and Sam investigate they travel the country looking for clues, learning that people close to home may be hiding secrets linked to the original murder.

Set over a short window of time means that the pace never lets up. The description of the kidnap fills you with trepidation, fearful that there will not be a successful conclusion to the story. The deeper Ben digs, the more you suspect everyone. A secondary storyline also adds confusion for the reader. I was deeply worried about Ben and Dani’s fledgling relationship. Time constraints, along with the kidnapper’s warning, meant that Ben didn’t confide in Dani. Dani felt that there was a lack of trust between them.

The finale was filled with tension as a number of lives were at risk. As all the loose ends are tied up there is a sense of relief but the conclusion is tinged with sadness.

Ten Seconds by Robert Gold will be published on 14^th March 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a review copy.