The callous murder of a schoolboy has lain unsolved for twelve years; D.I. David Russell remembers the case – he was a youthful detective-sergeant at the time.

A routine enquiry from India betrays a tenuous link with the boy’s death. The connection seems insignificant, a matter of only casual interest; but, as more information comes to light, Russell begins to realise that his curiosity has led him to a startling but unprovable conclusion. But what he doesn’t know is that the killer is back in town – and his own eleven-year-old son has met and befriended the man…

The fourth in the series of David Russell novels to be published, Cycle nevertheless constitutes the first chapter in the continuing sequence of stories, taking the reader back beyond the beginnings of the Russell/Rimmer partnership to his days as a lowly D.S., assistant to old Inspector Foreman. The story unfolds over that twelve year period, in three parts. In the first, Foreman and Russell head the initial investigation into that first murder, an investigation which founders on a lack of effective leads; part two allows the reader a brief insight into the murderer’s mentality and tells of the change in him which raises his status to that of serial killer; part three brings the tale up to date, with the slow-starting enquiry which ultimately leads to his downfall.

Cycle shows all of the characteristic features the writing of Geoffrey Lewis – emotive scenes of the anguish of the first victim’s family and a nerve-wracking tension as the killer, whose identity is known to the reader throughout, lays his plans against young Daniel Russell. The ending is also characteristically up-beat. With its conclusion set in the Autumn prior to the events described in Mr. Lewis' debut novel "Flashback", Cycle should perhaps be read by new followers of David Russell as the first in the series – it was, indeed, written before "Flashback". Now revised to Mr Lewis’ satisfaction, it is at last to be made available to the reading public and will answer all those nagging questions raised by the apparently obscure back references in his later stories, particularly in "Winter’s Tale", the most recently published of the series.

Cycle was published on 23rd February 2005. Copies are available from any good bookshop, to order if not from the shelf, by quoting the title and author, or the ISBN of 0-9545624-3-7.


CYCLE sample chapter:

'The two boys grappled again, staggering back and forth in each other’s grip, laughing all the while. Any remaining nervousness Philip had felt quickly vanished as they wrestled; this time, the older boy’s greater strength and weight told, and it was Philip who found himself on his back, held down, their previous positions reversed. For his part, Carl felt his deep, dark desires growing stronger than ever as the younger boy struggled in his arms, his slender, supple body squirming to get free, the hot animal smell of him rising to his nostrils. And when the twelve-year-old gave in, and lay beneath him as he knelt in triumph, the slim chest heaving with each breath, the clear golden skin gleaming in the evening sunlight, they reached a level, a direction, beyond his control. Without thought, he reached behind him and drew the knife from its sheath.

Philip, still laughing in his defeat, looked up in surprise when he saw the blade in Carl’s hand:
“What are you playing at?”
“Perhaps I’m going to kill you?” Carl was grinning down at him – he laid the knife-blade flat on the youngster’s bare chest, along his breastbone, keeping hold of the hilt.
“Hey, stop fooling, that’s not funny!” The troubling gleam was back in the older boy’s eyes; Philip pushed against his chest, but couldn’t shift his greater weight: “Don’t even joke about something like that, okay?”
Carl raised the knife to the vertical, moving the point of the blade to a position directly over the twelve-year-old’s heart.
Philip looked down at himself as he felt the point against his skin. He lay suddenly frozen, a real fear gripping him; he opened his mouth to speak, but only a gasp of stunned disbelief escaped him as he watched the blade thrust down into his chest. He had time for a moment of horrified realisation: He’s done it! The quick flare of pain as the glittering steel pierced his heart faded as his consciousness spiralled down into darkness.'

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AVAILABILITY:

'Cycle' may be obtained through any good bookshop, or direct from the publisher’s distributor:

T&G Fulfilment Ltd,

9 Mackay Trading Estate, Station Approach,
Bicester, Oxon OX26 6BZ
Tel: 01869-369505 email: sales@tgfulfilment.co.uk
In the event of difficulty, please contact the publishers.

CYCLE by Geoffrey Lewis

CYCLE

by Geoffrey Lewis

paperback

£6.99

ISBN 0-9545624-3-7

published by
SGM Publishing