Val Penny and I haven’t met in real life, but I feel I know her well from her crime novels, plus our exchanges on social media and Zoom. My hope is to some day meet with her in person in Scotland where she lives. We’d have a wonderful time talking about writing. In the meantime, I have her DI Hunter Wilson Thrillers that are set in Edinburgh — including no. 3 Hunter’s Force, which was released Jan. 25 by Spellbound Books. I am quite fond of the characters she has created, especially DI Hunter Wilson.
First a little more about Val: She is an American author living in Scotland with her husband and their cat. She has two adult daughters.
Val has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer, and lecturer. She writes poetry, short stories, nonfiction, and of course, novels. Read more about Hunter’s Force below.
BLURB FOR HUNTER’S FORCE
Hunter by name – Hunter by nature. Can DI Hunter Wilson keep Edinburgh safe when he is the hunted?
Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is woken in the early hours of the morning by a call from his son. Cameron’s flatmate was murdered. Why would anybody want to kill a young woman recently arrived in the city?
Hunter must call in the new Major Incident Team (MIT) to lead the investigation due to the reorganisation of police services. Hunter’s ability to be involved, however, is put in severe doubt when someone from his past decides to take revenge on him. He goes missing, and his team have no idea where to look for him. Who would want to stop Hunter in his tracks?
Meanwhile, Hunter’s team must work closely with the MIT and with or without him, solve the murder in this taut crime thriller.
HUNTER’S FORCE EXCERPT
DI Hunter Wilson looked at the time on his phone before he answered the call. 4.03am. If this was some comedian from the sub-continent calling to tell him about putting in a claim for the accident he hadn’t had… Then he noticed it was Cameron calling him.
“What’s the matter, son? This is a hell of a time to phone.” Hunter whispered.
“I didn’t know who else to call.”
“What’s the matter? And it had better be good.”
“It’s far from good.” Cameron told his father of the scene that had met him and his new friends when they got back to his flat.
“She’s had what cut off? Bloody hell!”
“I know, Dad, I know. And her head has been bashed in too. What do I do?”
“Well, now we have Police Scotland in place there is a Major Incidents Team, imaginatively know as MIT, that deals with cases like this.”
“Oh, Dad no! The other girls’ll go mental. You come. Please? At least at first. I need your help.”
Hunter thought back to the days when Cameron used to ask for his help regularly: tying his shoelaces, drying him after swimming, learning to ride a bike. Those had been the golden years. It had been a long, long time since his son had sounded so desperate and pleaded for his help. It made Hunter feel good. He could help Cameron again. Brilliant!
“You’re not back on the cocaine are you, Cameron? You’re not hallucinating?” Hunter said suddenly.
“No, I’m bloody not! But thanks for the vote of confidence. Believe me, I will be if you don’t get your arse over here pronto!”
“And that’s how you ask for help from your dad? A favour? Stuff you!” Hunter shouted back.
“What is it?” a bleary voice beside Hunter said.
“Please, Dad. Just come. I need you.” Cameron sounded like a little boy about to burst into tears. “Another person’s in my flat too. I’ve never seen her before. Just come, quickly, please Dad! I can’t tell you how awful it all is here.”
Hunter got out of bed and patted Meera’ s arm. “Go back to sleep, pet. I’ve got to go and see Cameron. It’s an emergency.”
“At four o’clock in the morning? What’s wrong? Is he using again?”
“No. But he was out for the evening and got back to his home to find his flat mate dead on the floor”
“Why does he need you? Shouldn’t he call an ambulance?” Meera asked.
“It’s a bit late for that. She’s been mutilated; her head has been bashed in and the tops of her fingers cut off.”
“I’d guess she’s probably dead, right enough. But doesn’t Cameron need me more than he needs you? I’m coming with you,” Meera said in a determined voice that brooked no contradiction.
LINK: Kindle readers, here’s the link to buy Val Penny’s Hunter’s Force : DI Hunter Wilson Series: Book 3 : https://geni.us/f5eJb