Long Reach by Peter Cocks

I was given a copy of Long Reach by Peter Cocks by Waterstones in order to review it.  It's aimed at people 14+, is a thriller and is being released on 3rd January 2011 (have I mentioned lately how much I love getting prerelease books to read? I LOVE IT).  This is Peter Cocks first book.

Here is what Waterstones.com has to say about this book

This is a gritty urban thriller set in the ganglands of south London. Seventeen-year-old Eddie Savage is shocked to learn that the body of his brother, Steve, has just been washed up in the Thames. But he soon discovers something even more disturbing: that Steve had actually been working undercover for the police - and was probably murdered in the line of duty. Determined to avenge his brother's death, Eddie relinquishes his old life and identity to take up where Steve left off, throwing himself headlong into his first mission - to infiltrate a tough south London gang. But as he becomes caught up in the world of crime, Eddie begins to question where his loyalties lie. Then he makes a terrible discovery...

And my review (which will show up on the above linked Waterstones page as soon as it's approved, which might not be until Monday)

This is a really brilliant book. I read it in a few hours pretty much straight through - it really hooked me in and it was difficult to put down.  It's well written and the characters are very believable.

Long Reach is aimed at teenagers (the book states 14+) but that wasn't obvious and I think there's plenty in it for adults to enjoy as well.  The writing certainly has enough depth to it for teenagers not to feel talked down to and adults to find levels in it they can enjoy.  Definitely a good book for anyone but I could see it appealing to teenagers just beginning to read books outside the "childrens" section

The pace is fast but works.  As other reviewers have said the ending is a little abrupt but personally I found it worked.  It does take you a little by surprise that you don't find "what happens next" but I like books that keep me guessing.

They way this book is marketed makes me believe their will be sequels.  I would read them but I wouldn't be hunting them down the very day they are published.  Long Reach raises lots of questions  throughout the book some of which are answered and some aren't.  I don't want to ruin it for anyone but there are definite questions I was left wanting answers for.  Given the way the book ended however I doubt they will ever be answered, even in sequels

Finally I should probably say that I'm not the worlds biggest thriller fan so for me to love this as much as I did and find it hard to put down can only show how good this book is.  Hopefully Peter Cocks will write other books in future as I think he'll be one to watch.

I didn't put this on my review on Waterstones but feel I should warn people that there is one use of the R word in this book.