When you’re accused of murder, you’d better hide, run, or fight.The Third Rule is England’s new infallible capital punishment where absolute proof of guilt is not required. There’s always a queue at the Slaughter House doors.CSI Eddie Collins hasn’t killed anyone, but he knows who has. That’s why he’s on the Slaughter House list, and when a government hunter tracks him down, Eddie has to fight or … down, Eddie has to fight or die.
“If you want to kill serious crime, you have to kill serious criminals.”
Sir George Deacon, Minster of Justice.
If you like fast-paced crime thrillers with a forensic slant, raw emotions, and characters that reach out of the book and grab you by the throat, you’ll love Andrew Barrett’s Eddie Collins series.
To experience Eddie’s battle to uncover the lies they told, buy The Third Rule today.
What people say about The Third Rule:
~ A gripping and moving masterpiece.
~ This was one of those books that I couldn’t put down.
~ My kindle came with me everywhere so I could catch another chapter or even paragraph.
~ Superb.
~ Frighteningly realistic.
~ This is a chilling and all too realistic vision of the British Legal system as could worryingly happen in today’s haphazard political climate.
~ Andrew Barrett has become one of my favourite authors and I have just purchased ‘Black by Rose’ to read very soon.
~ An excellent read. One of those books you can’t put down. A great story and well written -look forward to more similar.
~ TV DRAMA, PLEASE. NOW!
~ It’s been a long while since I finished a book, and then sat there for a few minutes reflecting on the story I’ve just read.
Books by Andrew Barrett:
The Third Rule – Eddie Collins 1
Black by Rose – Eddie Collins 2
Sword of Damocles – Eddie Collins 3
Ledston Luck – Eddie Collins 4
The Lift – An Eddie Collins Short Story
The Note – An Eddie Collins Novella
A Long Time Dead – Roger Conniston 1
Stealing Elgar – Roger Conniston 2
No More Tears – Roger Conniston 3
more
Let me first say how much I enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure this would be the case when I opened it on my Kindle to discover I’d previously read the first five chapters and no more. This time, I stuck with it, letting the quality of the writing override my misgivings about Eddie Collins. I struggled to like him or feel much sympathy for him, thanks to his reckless, self-destructive streak, but as the story progressed, I admired his conviction and resolve. I always root for the underdog and was willing him to succeed as the story approached its exciting climax.
It’s an intense and complex story with some big themes, such as the return of the death penalty into the justice system and how power corrupts, coupled with personal tragedy and rivalries. But at its heart is a story of how one man triumphs over trauma and the demons that haunt him to fight the corruption that threatens to destroy him. He’s not alone in his fight, and there’s a price to pay for standing up to those who want to silence him.
Though not an easy read at times, this is a raw and gritty thriller with a slick plot, plenty of tension and an exciting climax. I would have preferred the story to end right there on a high as I was quite breathless, metaphorically speaking, with that satisfied feeling you get when the climax is over.
I loved the forensic and scenes of crime details, which brought the scenes to life, and helped this story to stand out in a crowded crime fiction market.
The Third Rule
CSI Eddie Collins Series #1
In England the rules have changed to a three strike s and you are put to death situation. With corrupt policemen, crooked politicians, drug addicts, thieves and murderers running through the story there is a lot going on and many names to keep track of. It is dark and gritty and for me, a bit confusing. I basically picked it up to get the background of Eddie before reading book two in the series and have come away feeling that England as portrayed in this book is not a place many if any would want to live. I had trouble relating to any of the characters in the book and that may have hindered my overall impression.
Did I like the book? Sort of
Will I read another book by this author? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound books for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars
A great read. Numerous unpredictable twists and turns and a pace that increases throughout the novel so that by the end you literally can’t put it down and have to finish it! The two main characters are metamorphosed in the second half of the book from being almost unlikeable drunks (though with understandable triggers as are revealed in the book) to sympathetic, admirable characters who you really begin to root for. I can’t wait to read the other novels in the series.
“If you want to kill serious crimes, you have to kill serious criminals”
“Keep taking an eye for an eye, and the world will go blind”
After reading the ‘Conniston trilogy’ and ‘the death of Jessica Ripley, I try to make good on my promise to read this series in the right order. It’s a heavy starter. I mean this in volume (it was first published as a serial in 3 parts) as well as in its contents. It has serious political and ethical content and I’m certain that many people will not agree with the author’s views or those hold by me.
After a series a violent knife and gun crimes in the UK and even bombings, the new G-bip party wins the elections. Its first action is to withdraw from the EU and the second is to enforce a very tough policy on crimes. We speak of mandatory sterilisation of criminals, prisons with regimes that remind of the middle ages but the most controversial is the return of capital punishment by ‘the Third Rule’. Any criminal that’s caught 3 times will be automatically executed and murderers from the first time. Despite widespread support for this policy, there’s more than enough protest as well. ID-cards are also mandatory. (Now that’s something that would cause a massive outcry in real life.)
Eddie Collins, a SOCO (scene of crime officer or CSI for Americans) is separated from his wife because of his drinking habit. When his son is killed by a speeding green jaguar, he blames himself and so does his estranged wife.
The reader knows that this speedster, who also knocked a tramp under a bus just prior to the accident is, in fact, the son of Secretary for Justice Sir George Dracon. He finds out about this and decides to shelter and aid his son and to hide the evidence.
We also have the story about Christopher, a brilliant painter and small-time shoplifter and burglar, and his junkie girlfriend Alice. They get caught up in the other story-threads and things get ugly for them. They’re the so-called enemy criminals. But their tale is captured with so much empathy that you feel sorry for them and they certainly do not deserve the fate that awaits them.
Remember than in books by Andrew Barrett there’s no guaranteed HEA and that good or likeable people are just as likely to die as the nasty ones. This creates suspense of an even higher order.
About the details concerning police work, research, or technical CSI work, I don’t have a doubt that they’re correct and accurate. This author does know what he writes about. But this story is far more than a technical CSI action thriller. It does address serious moral and political issues.
With his G-bip party and their policies, Barrett skirts the edges of reality. In 2012 when this was written, there were but few who saw Brexit become a reality. I’ll sorely miss you, guys and I’m certain that many of you feel that way as well. Maybe for the best that U-kip collapsed and never got the opportunity to endorse –who know which- even stranger ideas.
If the death penalty would work its magic in the fashion that its advocates claim, wouldn’t the crimes have stopped in those USA states that endorse it? Rather the opposite is what we see. A criminal that knows that he’ll be killed instead of facing jail-time, will react much more violent to escape that fate! Apart from this notion, there’s also a moral dilemma; if society reacts by choosing to kill a person who’s convicted of killing, it does exactly that what it condemns. On top of that, there’s also the fact of repeated and serious miscarriages of justice where people spent sometimes years in prison before they’re proved to be innocent. It’s a bit harder to make them alive again when you’ve killed them. And no, I don’t think that criminals should be treated with satin gloves on and get a cushy, pleasant time in prison where they only learn how to become better criminals and avoid being captured the next time. And I even think that it may be better and safer for society to castrate serious sex-offenders, not so they can’t have children but so they can’t have erections and prey on the innocent. But even in those cases, false reports are sometimes filed. I understand the public outcry that CERTAIN monsters should never see sunlight again and aren’t worth to be kept alive. I agree that there are those that are incurable and unredeemable, but killing them only answers the need for REVENGE and not the right for JUSTICE. Two wrongs do not make a right! And I hope that I’ll never be in the position that my moral view will be tested but in this book, Eddie Collins is in this position.
Don’t be mistaken, Eddie is not a sympathetic or loveable character. He’s a struggling but functioning alcoholic. He’s one of the best in his line of work and it’s his work and also a co-worker and friend Ros that keep him upright at times.
The drawing of the characters is extremely well done, almost cinematic as if you see them on movie-screen. I wish that someone would make this in a movie or a whole series as there are more than enough threads going on throughout the book. I could kick Stuart in the nuts, the first time I met him.
This is much more than a mere crime-story, or even a political thriller. This is literature as far as I’m concerned. Mr Barrett has such an incredible way with words and a masterly command of the English language that it’s a real pleasure to read his elaborate wordplay. Every book by him that I read so far is completely different from the others, there’s no template or standard outline that he follows. This is pure fresh imagination, every time again. Work of this quality deserves much more publicity than it has now; it needs a worldwide audience and should be translated.
We also come across a chillingly accurate psychic or medium. Eddie’s wife gets entangled with one and he’s –of course- convinced that it’s all mental tricks or pure fraud. I wish to keep an open mind on this subject. I’m as good as certain that I saw a ghost once and more and more evidence turns up pointing in the direction that there’s more between heaven and earth than we can rationally explain.
It’s a shame that I can’t give more than 5 stars. I admit; I’m a fan. And I’ve heard earlier today that there’s a new book coming out soon.
I really loved this book as I do all of Andrew Barrett’s books. He is my favourite author.
If you read the Author, Andrew Barrett’s synopsis of his book, The Third Rule, then you will find that he was 100% correct in his assessment of The Third Rule’s book evoking every emotion in you the reader. IT DOES that. Also The Third Rule grabs and grips you from the beginning and doesn’t turn loose until the end. After reading The Third Rule and Author Andrews Barrett’s woven words about the new third rule instigated into law, regarding Capital Punishment, it certainly leaves the reader hoping that life does not ever imitate art. Harrowing intrigue and mystery abound. Those who are erroneously found guilty have to set about clearing their names. But Eddie Collins, main character, along with his journalist friend do a great job of doing just that. NO SPOILERS. I urge you to grab a copy of The Third Rule, by Andrew Barrett and find out for yourself just how great an Author Andrew Barrett really IS. I loved this book!! It definitely delivers and provides a satisfying read. ENJOY!!!
Great story! This book has an interesting, involved, twisting, plot and well developed characters. Based on those, I would have rated it 5 stars. But it did not suck me in and I found it challenging to continue reading at times.
What would you do if you were innocent of a crime but found guilty and sent to ‘the slaughter house’? The government in England has developed infallible rules, but they lied. Even Eddie Collins a CSI member is on the government list for a shooting, he has to stay one step ahead of them and try to prove his innocence. They are catching up with him…..can Eddie get the government to change it’s mind? You will need to read this gripping story to find out. I voluntarily reviewed this book.
Great read. Eddie Collins is put on a roller coaster type ride. His son is killed by a hit and run driver. His personal life takes a hit as he is drinking heavily. At one point he is on the run from a killer and trying to prove his innocence. The author takes you on a thrill ride. I gave this novel a 4 star only because it seemed very long.