Killing them isn’t enough – can DI Spicer catch The Butcher of Belle Vue before he strikes again?
An early-morning dog walker makes a grim discovery. Like the first two victims, this third one has been partially skinned and dumped on waste ground: muscles, tendons and ligaments exposed to view. Only this time, her face has also been removed.
Maverick Manchester cop, Jon Spicer and his new partner, Rick Saville, are approached by a woman who insists she heard ‘The Butcher’ claiming his latest victim in the next-door room of a run-down hotel in Belle Vue. But all she has to back up her story is an escort’s business card recovered from the empty room the following morning.
In this gripping, intense thriller, Jon must fight to stop a sadistic killer and protect the city he loves. The twisting investigation takes him into the twilight world of Manchester’s sex workers and the unscrupulous cosmetic surgery industry, eventually forcing him to confront the potential for violence within every man – even within himself.
Nominated for the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year!
Praise for Chris Simms’ novels
‘Dark and genuinely frightening, Shifting Skin had me burning the midnight oil in order to get to the end. An excellent read.’ (SHOTS MAGAZINE)
‘Shifting Skin has all the ingredients – blood, excitement, speed, mystery and realistic, likeable characters.’ (PETERBOROUGH EVENING TELEGRAPH)
‘Chris Simms has never shown any reluctance to chill the blood of the reader.’ (GOOD BOOK GUIDE)
‘Nice…it’s a grim, dark and seedy picture painted here.’ (LADS MAG)
‘We are dragged into the seedy world of prostitution, domestic violence and cut-cost cosmetic surgery, and just when you think you may have guessed the outcome, Simms finishes with a burst of pace and an illuminating twist. A highly entertaining read.’ (COVENTRY EVENING TELEGRAPH)
Some Amazon reader reviews for Shifting Skin
‘I got a lot of pleasure from reading Shifting Skin. There are no dull bits or padding in this book, it is all quality stuff.’ ★★★★★
‘A fast-moving, gripping and compelling story with numerous twists and turns and a few red-herrings.’ ★★★★★
‘Very clever plot, keeps you guessing, and just when you think you have it sussed the author throws another curve ball.’ ★★★★★
‘Put the housework away and sit down with a cup of tea in the company of DI Spicer!’ ★★★★★
‘The greatest review a person can give is to head back to Amazon to buy more from this author and that is most definitely where I am going.’ ★★★★★
About the Author
Chris Simms has worked in airports, nightclubs, post offices and telesales centres. After travelling around the world he settled near Manchester – where he now scribbles away in a cosy garden shed with a dainty little lurcher lying at his feet.
Along with nominations for the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year award and Crime Writers’ Association Daggers (for his novels and short stories), Chris was selected by Waterstone’s as one of their ‘25 Authors For The Future’.
Don’t miss out on this electrifying thriller – get it now before the price changes!
