David Stuart Davies is the author of five novels
featuring private detective hero, Johnny Hawke, and another five
novels featuring Sherlock Holmes as well as several non-fiction
books about the Baker Street detective including the movie volume
Starring Sherlock Holmes.
As well as being a committee member of the Crime Writers'
Association, and editing their monthly magazine, Red Herrings,
David is the general contributing editor for Wordsworth Editions
Mystery & Supernatural series and a major contributor of
introductions to the Collectors' Library classic editions.
“Johnny Hawke breathes new life into the traditional British
mystery. He’s a hero with a heart.” - Val McDermid
“I wholeheartedly recommend David Stuart Davies to those who enjoy
a good read.” - Amazon review
“This book by Davies is a good read for mystery followers. The
characters are well sketched out and the plot will twist and turn
and leave you wondering how it will all turn out ? that’s what you
want isn’t it? This is a delightful read because you are not quite
sure what will happen and you are hooked enough to keep on reading.
Enjoyable.” - J Robert Ewbank, author
“A well crafted thriller that had me gripped from the first
chapter. I tend to be a fussy reader who is easily bored with so
called thrillers that fail to live up to their billing. 'A Taste
for Blood' far exceeded expectations with its carefully crafted
plotting and characterization. So good were these that it
encouraged me to read the novel a second time.
“I had not read any of David Stuart Davies but now am eagerly
waiting his next titles. Comparisons may be made with other novels
in this genre such as Silence of the Lambs but Davies has produced
a work that whilst being less extreme becomes more fearful through
its naturalness.
“I wholeheartedly recommend David Stuart Davies to those who enjoy
a good read.” - Alan Semmens, Educator, UK
“Even though this was the sixth novel in the series it can be read
as a stand-alone, forming an intriguing double set of mysteries. I
enjoyed the hunt for the serial killer more than that of Hawke’s
suicide case, so I think it might have been better if the book
focused on one case rather than two. Nevertheless, both mysteries
are wrapped up with a nerve-wracking conclusion that will have you
on edge until it’s resolved. The murderer is truly chilling,
definitely not for the faint-hearted.” - Rebecca Chandler,
Reviewer, UK
“Interesting mystery that takes place in the 1930’s in England.
Private Investigator Johnny Hawke is investigating a suicide that
seems off and his police buddy, Detective David Llewellyn is
investigating a bloody crime involving an escaped convict and a
psychiatrist. The two stories merge for a twisted ending. The
details are grisly and the main villain enjoys his victims just a
bit too much. But other than that, it was a good story with an
unpredictable ending – just how I like my mysteries.
“Although this is the sixth Johnny Hawke novel, you can read it and
understand it without reading the previous books. Enough background
is given so that you know who Johnny is.” - Donna Miller,
Librarian, USA
“‘A Taste For Blood’ is set in 1940s, London, during World War Two,
and features two characters that fans of the author will have met
before - Detective Inspector David Llewellyn of the Metropolitan
Police and Private Detective, Johnny Hawke. As this is the first
time I had encountered any novels by David Stuart Davies, I had no
knowledge of these two characters. However, this did not affect my
enjoyment of this crime novel.
“There are two storylines to the book, one in which we meet a
particularly horrible villain who had previously been caught by D.
I. Llewellyn and incarcerated for eight years before his escape. He
is a ghoulish character, who is determined to imprint himself on
the world in a very unpleasant manner. The other storyline concerns
Johnny Hawke’s investigation of a suspicious suicide. Both cases
touch each other at intervals throughout the book, as David
Llewellyn and Johnny Hawke are friends - this friendship plays an
important part in the last part of book.
“I enjoyed ‘A Taste for Blood’. It was rather gruesome in parts,
but the violence was not gratuitous. I particularly liked the way
in which the author used words and phrases which resonated with me.
They reminded me of films and novels written in the 40s and 50s,
giving the novel an authentic period feel. I had no idea how these
intertwined plots would resolve themselves and was kept guessing
until the end.
“I shall certainly search out some more of David Stuart Davies’
work, starting, I think, with the first book featuring Johnny
Hawke.” - Angela Thomas, Reviewer, UK
“I didn’t really want this story to end. I didn’t know how it was
going to end, and I just loved that feeling. Too often can you
predict what’s going to happen in a book, but A Taste For Blood?
Nope. You can’t. It keeps you in the dark until the very end.
“First take a look at the cover. It's dark and twisted and broody
and makes me think of Jack the Ripper, a world awash with
blood.
“I love crime books, I probably read one each week, but I didn’t
think this would be my cup of tea. How wrong I was.
“The narrative switches between a few different characters in this
book, but that didn’t bother me at all. All of the characters had
their own strong voice, their own mannerisms with language which
made them stand apart from each other.
“The characters are really very British, so there’s an abundance of
tea - and we all know how I love my tea.
“I grinned. ‘I'm anybody’s for a cuppa and a biscuit.’
“I could relate to the characters. Well, most of them. Not really
Sexton or Northcote. Although I did understand Northcote’s motives
towards the end. My favourite character to read was probably David
Llewellyn.
“This book twists and turns so unexpectedly that I re-read more
than a few sections, just to make sure I'd taken it all in
properly. It’s gruesome and violent and more than once my toes
curled. It’s horrific in the way that all good crime should be,
with blood and gore everywhere and enough mystery to keep you, as a
reader, on your toes...” - Cora Linn Ballantine, Reviewer, UK
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