To Catch A Rabbit by Helen Cadbury

Two young boys stumble on a dead prostitute. 

She's on Sean Denton's patch. 

As Doncaster's youngest community support officer, he's already way out of his depth, but soon he's uncovering more than he's supposed to know. 

Meanwhile Karen Friedman, professional mother of two, learns her brother has disappeared. 

She desperately needs to know he's safe, but once she starts looking, she discovers unexpected things about her own needs and desires. 

Played out against a gritty landscape on the edge of a Northern town, Karen and Sean risk losing all they hold precious.

To Catch a Rabbit by Helen Cadbury was published first in 2013 and reprinted in paperback by Allison & Busby on 22 January 2015.

I live in Gainsborough, a small town in Lincolnshire that nestles on the boundary with Nottinghamshire and is also a stone's throw from South Yorkshire.  I've lived in this area for all of my life and really enjoy reading fiction that is set in this area.  I came across To Catch a Rabbit by Helen Cadbury in Waterstone's Doncaster branch, I'd not heard of the book, or the author before, but was intrigued by a crime novel set in a town that is so familiar to me.  I snapped it up and really intended to read it whilst I was on holiday. However, my husband snaffled it before I could get to it, he really enjoyed it, I finally managed to get hold of it and read it this week.

Sean Denton is a young Police Community Support Officer (PCSO), based on the streets of Doncaster, his home town. Sean is very keen, he puts far more into his job than he has to, and often finds himself in situations that are very difficult to get out of.

To Catch a Rabbit has three threads; there's Sean's story that starts when he is the first on the scene at what appears to be an accidental heroin overdose. The body of a young girl is discovered in a burger van by two young lads. Also weaved throughout Sean's case is the story of Karen, an advice worker for refugee and migrants who lives and works in York. Karen's story then links with the events of Bonfire Night 2007 which are relayed bit by bit throughout the book. Eventually it becomes clear that these three apparently separate stories are very firmly linked together.

The plot is very detailed and at times it can be difficult to understand how it all fits together, but Helen Cadbury's writing is clever, she manages to introduce some unexpected twists and turns that knit everything together very well.

There are some cracking characters in this story. The star is, of course, Sean Denton. He's young, inexperienced and at times he appears a little naive and gullible. However, he's loyal and determined and doesn't let go of a clue or a lead until he's got to the bottom of things. He's a lovable character. The same cannot be said for DCI Barry 'Burger' King. He's fat and rude and clearly thinks that he is a little above the law, excellently portrayed by the author and certainly the master of his own destiny.

Great plot, fabulous characters and very well drawn locations. The Doncaster and North Lincolnshire settings are very authentic, and recognisable.  I enjoyed To Catch A Rabbit very much and look forward to reading the next in the series; Bones In The Nest.



Helen Cadbury is a UK crime writer, based in Yorkshire. 

Her first novel, To Catch a Rabbit, was winner of the inaugral Moth Northern Crime Competition and is now published in a new edition by Allison and Busby. 

July 2015 saw the launch of the next novel in the Sean Denton series, Bones in the Nest. 

Helen is also a playwright and poet.
Visit Helen's website https://www.helencadbury.com

Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/helencadburyauthor  

@helencadbury on Twitter.



Follow