Det. Insp. Todd and "Ratso and " Holtom seriesHard Place - The Prequel is just some twenty pages long. This short teaser introduces Det. Insp. Todd "Ratso" Holtom, a London detective. In The Prequel, Ratso is on the French Riviera in Monte Carlo and tracking a London drug baron who is aboard his superyacht for dirty business. Ratso's groundwork leads into the dramatic action at the start of HARD PLACE, a full length mystery thriller which opens with immediate tense and dramatic action. I hope The Prequel intrigues you to buy the superbly reviewed HARD PLACE and gets you hooked on this new series involving Ratso, this risk-taking London detective. and "Douglas Stewart has done a great job and has created in Detective Ratso a character who is quick-witted, clever and a worthy addition to the action-thriller genre. and " and "Wow! What a page-turner! I can't wait for the next release. A definite five-star from me. and " and "Couldn't stop reading, this was worth five stars. and " and "This book engenders the same get-to-the end compulsion for the reader as does a Harlan Coben crime suspense or a Simon Kernick or Mark Billingham police novel ... the prose is easy to read and the plot is enthralling. and " and "Fantastic read, great characters, gripping storyline. Definitely want to read more adventures from Ratso. Roaring success Mr Stewart. and " and "It is as if the author has inside knowledge of these characters and places; their portrayal is simple, effective and truly insightful. and " and "In Hard Place, author Douglas Stewart offers up an oh-so-British thriller brimming with chilling mayhem, questionable police tactics,, tough and terrible villains and a deep understanding of the real world of crime and cops. Try to put it down - I highly recommend. and "