Call to Arms by Rachel Amphlett

Kay Hunter has survived a vicious attack at the hands of one of the country’s most evil serial killers.

Returning to work after an enforced absence to recover, she discovers she wasn’t the only victim of that investigation.

DI Devon Sharp remains suspended from duties, and the team is in turmoil.

Determined to prove herself once more and clear his name, Kay undertakes to solve a cold case that links Sharp to his accuser.

But as she gets closer to the truth, she realises her enquiries could do more harm than good.

Torn between protecting her mentor and finding out the truth, the consequences of Kay’s enquiries will reach far beyond her new role…

Bestselling author Rachel Amphlett spent some time with The Big Thrill discussing the latest installment in her Detective Kay Hunter series, CALL TO ARMS:

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

I hope that readers will find that they can lose themselves in this next episode in Kay Hunter’s life and enjoy another fast-paced read that has them turning the pages well into the small hours!

How does this book make a contribution to the genre?

Unlike many detective novels, the Kay Hunter series don’t rely upon a protagonist with a broken home life, but rather provide the reader with a respite from the dark and disturbing crimes that Kay investigates by giving her a reasonably stable home life – depending upon what animals her partner Adam, a veterinary surgeon, has brought home. This subtle difference from many detective novels is what is proving to be irresistible to readers worldwide.

Was there anything new you discovered, or that surprised you, as you wrote this book?

Writing about a cold case was a challenge because witness recall obviously dissipates over time! I enjoyed it, though – I thought a few characters would tie me in knots at one point, so I felt that writing CALL TO ARMS upped my craft skills and provided a new learning curve.

No spoilers, but what can you tell us about your book that we won’t find in the jacket copy or the PR material?

This is Kay’s first cold case investigation, and uncovers the final twist in an ongoing sub-plot that has run through the series to date.

What authors or books have influenced your career as a writer, and why?

Writers including Lee Child, Peter James, Ian Rankin, Peter Robinson and Val McDermid have been an inspiration because of the way they tackle social problems while at the same time entertaining readers. I soak up interviews with them, too, because I always learn something about the thriller and crime writing craft.

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Rachel Amphlett is the bestselling author of the Dan Taylor espionage novels and the new Detective Kay Hunter series, as well as a number of standalone crime thrillers.

Originally from the UK and currently based in Brisbane, Australia, Rachel’s novels appeal to a worldwide audience, and have been compared to Robert Ludlum, Lee Child and Harlen Coben.

She is a member of International Thriller Writers and the Crime Writers Association, with the Italian foreign rights for her debut novel, White Gold, being sold to Fanucci Editore’s TIMECrime imprint in 2014, and the first four books in the Dan Taylor espionage series contracted to Germany’s Luzifer Verlag in 2017.

To learn more about Rachel, please visit her website.