Kickback (DI Nick Dixon Crime Book 3)

I I totally enjoyed this book, having grown up with a horse! Never got into racing, per se, but the author is either an avid racing buff or has done his homework...or maybe owns horses! You don't write so knowledgeably about horses unless you have a good acquaintance with them... or do your homework as a writer... I suspect the former...but the latter would not surprise me as this is an excellent writer ... and I am enjoying his characters and mysteries very much. I like mysteries and read a lot of them... from the southwest Navajo mysteries of Hillerman, through Cornwell and McBain to some of the British sleuths... Sherlock, Nick Dixon, et al...and I am finding I particularly like Nick Dixon. He is real. He has his problems, like his diabetes and he is not so" poker up the ass" snotty as to not bend the rules when the situation calls for it. H is, of course, a good officer, but he isn't paranoid, or heavy handed or snarky... he is just a human doing a hard job as best he can.The situationsBboyd has thrown this character into have been varied and interesting and show a fascinating segment of British life away from the hub bub of London or it's environs.A very good book and a very interesting series! Keep up the good work Mr. Boyd!

I bought this book at 12:11pm,,, it's now 4:02pm on the same day and I literally couldn't put it down! I've actually read all three DI Nick Dixon books in the last two days! Actually, gobbled would probably be a better description...Damien Boyd is a winner! With each book his writing has grown and I can hardly wait for the next one—Swansong—due this summer! This book is well written, fast paced and loaded with wonderful twists and turns. Since I read it in just under 4 hours you can tell that it gripped and held my attention. I want MORE of DI Nick Dixon and the rest of the characters that Mr. Boyd has introduced me to! And I certainly wouldn't mind if the books were a bit longer. ;-)This is a thoroughly English mystery and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Nick Dixon is becoming a fully rounded person and Jane Winter is right there with him...This is a stand alone story even if it does reference 'Head in the Sand' in that it ties up a few loose ends in the previous book. But you don't need to read the others to enjoy this one—this story is complete in and of itself! But it's also part of a series and you can see the growth of the characters as well as Mr. Boyd's talent from book to book.Thank you Mr. Boyd and keep them coming!

Detective Inspector (DI) Nick Dixon of the Avon and Somerset CID is celebrating his release from hospital (and recovery from a stab wound in his shoulder). With him are Detective Constable (DC) Jane Winter and senior pathologist Roger Poland. While they’re eating, an argument breaks out at a nearby table and almost turns violent. Dixon intervenes, and calms a young man, on compassionate leave from Afghanistan to attend his younger brother’s funeral.Hours later, the young man takes his father and sister hostage, and insists on talking with Dixon. He believes his brother wasn’t killed by an aggressive horse at the stable where he worked, which another police investigation determined, but was in fact murdered. Dixon meets with the young man, begins to check the investigation, and gets Roger Poland to check the post-mortem of the victim. The brother turns out to be right – the dead man was indeed murdered.“Kickback” is Damien Boyd’s third DI Nick Dixon police procedural mystery, and it’s a riveting read (I read in almost one sitting). The investigation takes Dixon and Winter (who are more than just work partners) deep into illegal horserace gambling and how it’s done online, Albanian gangsters, cocaine smuggling, and pillars of society turning out to have more than a few cracks.Boyd is the author of six Nick Dixon mystery stories. He has extensive experience in criminal law in the UK and worked for a time with the Crown Prosecution Service, and infuses that experience throughout his stories.“Kickback” shows Boyd’s development with his craft and narrative control, and is the best DI Nick Dixon yet.

Just finished Kickback and Damien Boyd's first two books in the series. I "read" these three excellent crime stories using the text to speech function on my Kindle Keyboard while exercising on my treadmill. This is my favorite way of reading most books as there is zero chance of nodding off! I most certainly would never have gotten through Shelby Foote's Civil War trilogy (3000 plus pages) without it.Being a big fan of British police crime tv shows, such as George Gently, Frost, Grantchester, and Broadchurch caused this new Kindle series to catch my attention. I thoroughly enjoyed the excellent plots and development of the well researched, action paced, and informative (from rock climbing to horse racing) relatively short tales. Keep up the good work, Damien!

It started off really well and managed to get me excited to read it. I just don't think that everything can happen as fast as the author believes. For an officer who knows nothing about racehorses and what shoes they wear and that they would be different from a regular horseshoe makes you question some of the choices. He researched betting practices and saddles so why does he just know about the shoes? It was a good book all in all

This author and his DI Nick Dixon series is an easy relaxed Brit read. There is not a lot of "Pop, Bam, Pow" action that I like, butthe author is somewhat smooth. Actually too smooth. i just can't envision all DI Nixon's minions hopping like a frog with a"Yes Sir" every time he barks a command. Every clue and sprig of evidence just seems to fall into place with no effort, and he really doesn't have to struggle and tough out solving a case like the big U. S. city cops do as with Connelly and Sanford. Just saying...To

This is another winner from Damien Boyd. Interestingly it begins only a couple of days after the events of the previous book in the series  Head In The Sand (The DI Nick Dixon Crime Series)  and in an unusually congruent touch, frequently refers back to that case, not just in the obvious way that Nick is carrying an injury picked up in the climax of it. Nick seems to be a magnet for trouble and we are not very far into the story before it finds him. I would think his friends would be starting to be very wary of going anywhere with him socially. Would a police officer be back on duty so soon after being stabbed? I suppose it stops him having time to get over anxious about the perils of the job.I am glad to see relationships being fleshed out in this book both professionally and socially - despite my previous comment. Nick's good working relationship with Roger Poland fits well with their out of work friendship, even if they do talk shop. Whilst he is coaching Louise Willmott professionally, it is also evident that there are some people whom he doesn't care for, especially when he thinks they are not doing their job properly and I look forward to seeing how his mistrust of a certain DS develops. I was a little surprised that it wasn't followed through in this story, but it seems it could be part of a bigger story and definitely doesn't leave the reader feeling cheated. The author has left plenty of room for manoeuvre in future storylines.Although a serious crime mystery, there were times when I laughed out loud, and that isn't something I do very often when reading. The humour was sparing but completely appropriate and added greatly to my enjoyment of this book. I started the book late last night and didn't really put it down, just fell asleep with it in my hand, then started to read again when I woke up, I didn't want to wait any longer.I am in awe of the research the author appears to have done in preparation for these stories, from rock climbing, through ornithology to the world of horse racing and the various forms of gambling which accompany it. Getting the detail right in all of these things is crucial, not just because you know that there are readers who would pick up on any mistakes in a flash but because it adds to the smooth telling of the tale and gives credence to the scenario.I believe Damien Boyd to be a relatively new author and he has made a brilliant start to his publishing career with these three books. I hope he is in the process of writing more and I do look forward to reading them. Head In The Sand (The DI Nick Dixon Crime Series)

I only recently found this author, What a writer,I was not sure if I would enjoy this one as I don't know much about horses racing,but it didn't matter at all, the book just drew me in. Love the way the characters unfold a bit more in each novel. Best read in sequence as each book refers to earlier cases, but the stories do stand alone. The books are pacey, exciting,not too much swearing or gore,though there was a decapitation in the second book his was not overly dwelt on.I am starting on book 5 now and cannot wait. Make sure you have plenty of reading time if you do buy book one, as you will need to buy the rest for sure.

Kickback is the third book in the D.I. Dixon series and probably the best to date in my opinion. However, I think it will appeal most to people who enjoy the 'police procedural' genre of crime fiction. The story follows the police as they investigate a murder of a stable lad, an event which initially appeared to be an accident. We are taken down a few blind alleys in the course of the story and we meet a number of quite unsavoury characters along the way.Now if you enjoy crime stories that are full of gore and / or sex, then you may find this book wanting. It may also disappoint if you are someone who enjoys crime stories that are rich in atmosphere and / or characterisation. But if you are someone who loves horse racing, then this novel could be of interest as it is full of detail about saddles, horseshoes, 'on-course' and internet betting as well as other aspects of this sport ... but some may say that at times perhaps a bit too much detail is provided!While this is the third book in the series, it is possible to read and enjoy it as a 'stand-alone' novel, even though the events in this novel take place soon after the case that D.I. Dixon solved in the preceding novel 'Head In The Sand'.One final observation; the writing style for me is a little too dry and factual; sometimes it felt as if I was being lectured to about the topic in question (e.g. different ways to win or lose money by betting on the horses).Overall however, an enjoyable police procedural story that is quick and easy to read.

The story moved along at a good pace but the characterisation is lacking. There was no gradual build up to the relationship that has developed between Jane Winter and Nick Dixon and I have no idea what Jane looks like or what traits of character personify her, and that would be my main complaint with Damien Boyd’s books. I am reading the books in order, which helps as there are regular references back to previous plots and outcomes, but I still do not feel any particular empathy or otherwise with any of the regular characters. Louise is just a name and says little more than Thank you, Sir. I have started on the fourth book in the series in the hope that these cardboard characters come to life. If not, I may move on to something with more depth.

I finished book 2 and left a review to say I looking forward to next book. Wee just finished book 3 at 6am and worth the loss of sleep. This case starts only a few days after the golf course case as in reality a policeman's work is never done. More twists and turns in this case that involved the racehorse fraternity with underlying case investigations. No I did not solve this case before Nick Dixon and really enjoyed that final twist. Damien Boyd is improving with every book. I look forward to books 4 and 5 which l have on my amazon fire but won't be starting them now as my hubby not impressed l am reading all night. Keep up the good work Mr. Boyd