The First 48 Hours: the twisting new thriller from the Sunday Times bestseller
£9.50
THE FIRST 48 HOURS….WILL DECIDE IF YOU LIVE OR DIE.
‘Simon Kernick writes with his foot pressed hard on the pedal. Hang on tight!’ HARLAN COBEN
‘Great plots, great characters, great action’ LEE CHILD
‘An absolute master of the adrenaline-fuelled ride’ PETER JAMES
‘Compulsive … this is Kernick at his best’ THE SUN
‘A vivid, high-octane page-turner’ THE GUARDIAN
A COP NEEDS TO CRACK A DEADLY CASE
He’s a detective hunting cold-blooded killers, but does he know more than he admits?
A MOTHER HAS TO SAVE HER DAUGHTER
She’s a lawyer who must defend a murderer – but how far will she go to protect her only child?
A COUPLE WILL COMMIT THE PERFECT CRIME
They have a plan – but can they trust each other with their lives?
THREE STORIES. TWO DAYS. DOES ONE SECRET CONNECT THEM ALL?
THE FIRST 48 HOURS…MAY ALSO BE THEIR LAST.
Praise for Simon Kernick:
‘One of Britain’s top thriller writers’ THE SUN
‘That thud you hear is Kernick whipping the rug from under your feet again.’ THE TIMES
‘Simon Kernick is one of the most reliable purveyors of the edge-of-your-seat thriller’ SUNDAY EXPRESS
‘Pace, pace, pace is what Simon Kernick does best’ DAILY MIRROR
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Additional information
| Publisher | Headline (9 Nov. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| File size | 2297 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Screen Reader | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Not Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 339 pages |
by Annie
The First 48 Hours is a good, enjoyable read with lots going on in it to keep me interested and hold my attention from start to finish. The story is written well and flows easily and the pacing is spot on in my opinion. I was drawn into the story right away and think it had a great start that set the scene well. I liked that the story is told through different characters who, for me, are mostly difficult to like and relate to, although I did like Becca and by the end Fish had grown on me a little. The story is full of subterfuge, deceit and lies and I liked that the plot line goes off in a surprising direction that makes this a thrilling read with lots of tension and suspense. I felt like I was unwrapping layer after layer of secrets that added to my enjoyment of this book. The ending is left open so will there be a second book featuring Fish? Overall I think this is a good, entertaining and absorbing read but it didn’t wow me, mainly I think because of my initial dislike of some of the characters. I’d recommend this book – Simon Kernick definitely knows how to engage and connect with his readers through his writing.
4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
by Helen Frost
An excellent concept and really well executed. The story revolves around a team of professional kidnappers who take their victims, seamlessly, from the streets and demand high stake money and no police involvement for the safe return of the subject, the first few go well enough but then, when police are involved the young man taken is quickly killed. Next the demands are different – no money involved, just instructions to be closely followed and the victim is the daughter of a criminal lawyer who has defended some very dubious characters. The plot is clever and evolves quickly and it’s a delicious dive into the criminal underworld with lack of scruples and mixed loyalties. A recommend from me.
by wendy
This is a fast paced thriller with lots of twists and turns, that once you start reading you’ll find it really hard to put down I highly recommend reading.
by Mr. J. A. J. Curtis
After taking a year off from writing Simon Kernick has come back better and stronger in his writing, set over 48 Hours and told in 61 chapters over 389 pages it go’s at a pace that makes you when you come to end of the chapter you need to read the next one. I got the book on release day and thinking I’ll only read the prologue then over 3 days I finished he whole book. I have been reading Simon Kernick books for over 16 years and this one is as good as he get’d,if you need to get someone who reads books for Christmas then get this one for them,they will Hank you later.
by Lynn Fisher
4.5 stars. Another brilliant read by this fantastic author whose books never disappoint. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me hooked from start to finish. It all tied in together nicely at the end. I loved it
by HS
There are 48 hours for a mother to save her daughter and for the detective to crack the case. Meanwhile will a couple pull off the perfect crime? Told in three different storylines. Does something connect them all?
This is an action packed, fairly fast paced and gripping read. There are plenty of dark, suspenseful moments that have you on the edge of your seat. I love that the story is told in a short time frame with three different perspectives and each one slowly flowing into the others. It all came together very cleverly and although the ending was quite sudden, it was enjoyable. The characters are written with a hint of humour and although unlikeable, do have you invested in seeing what they do next. Overall this was a refreshing read, with a unique spin on an overdone subject and offers plenty of twists and turns. I look forward to catching up on the authors other books and seeing what he comes up with next!
by Annette C.
Fast paced, clever, amazing plot twists- how many more superlatives can I find to describe this book? I’ve been reading thrillers by Simon Kernick’s for many years and they’ve always been very readable and compelling. Definitely “The First 48 Hours” shows that this author is still at the top of his game and has many ideas for an excellent and entertaining story.
Fish is a detective who works for the Met investigating kidnaps, particularly a group of kidnappers called the Vanishers who snatch young people for ransoms. However Fish has many secrets of his own and his first person narration leads the reader to suspect that he is not a particularly nice character and certainly knows more about the kidnappers than it first appears.
Becca is a barrister asked to defend killers and seemingly impervious to the fact she might be getting guilty criminals off scot free. When something awful happens to her daughter she is forced to choose between her family and her personal belief in the law- how far will she go to protect her own flesh and blood?
Far be it from me to reveal too much about this book as it will spoil the enjoyment as well as all the wonderful twists. Every time I felt I had worked out what was happening the author threw another spanner in the works! I defy you to figure out who was behind events in the book- there were so many layers to peel away!
This was a great read, well plotted and full of some interesting but rather unsavoury characters. I can’t say I liked any of the main protagonists although I did feel sorry for Becca’s predicament and my sympathy increased as the book progressed. Delfina was particularly nasty and I was really hoping she wouldn’t evade justice!
I highly recommend this thriller- if you’ve read other books by Simon you’ll love this and if you haven’t it’s a perfect one to start with. Five stars from me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for my advance copy.