No Time To Cry

What an excellent start to a brand new series from James Oswald. He is a terrific writer and is up there with the likes of Anne Cleeves and Ian Rankin. DC Constance Fairchild receives a text from her boss to go to the office, the office that is actually a front for a sting operation they are in the middle of. When Con arrives Pete, her boss is dead, shot through the head execution style. Con soon becomes the main suspect and is suspended from duty.

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When someone tries to kill her, Con decides she What an excellent start to a brand new series from James Oswald. When someone tries to kill her, Con decides she must try and solve the case if she is to survive. Aug 31, Ronja rated it liked it. I din't like it to begin with, but am glad I stuck with it. It's one of those that grow on you. The Inspector McLean series is much better, but I think this one has great potential. The characters are well written and seem to jump off the pages! I felt that the story flowed very naturally and was enjoyable to read!

Sep 30, Lynne rated it really liked it. DC Constance 'Con' Fairchild is working undercover when her boss DI Pete Copperthwaite is brutally tortured and murdered by a single gunshot to the head. When Con is blamed for the bungled operation and suspended from her job, she realises someone high up in the police force is corrupt. A botched attempt on Con's life soon follows and realising she's in grave danger, knows her only hope of vindication is to bring those responsible to justice.

This book was my first introduction to the work of aut DC Constance 'Con' Fairchild is working undercover when her boss DI Pete Copperthwaite is brutally tortured and murdered by a single gunshot to the head. This book was my first introduction to the work of author James Oswald. No Time To Cry didn't disappoint. It featured a highly interesting female protagonist who is independent, intelligent, loyal, sassy and brave.

Just the sort of person you need in a crisis. Whilst the subject matter won't appeal to everyone's tastes I know readers who won't open a book if it touches upon this topic , I thought it was handled very effectively and the story wasn't bogged down by the awfulness of the situation. The pacing was excellent and added to the growing sense of danger and excitement.

This was one ballsy lady who wasn't afraid of putting herself in danger if it meant doing the right thing and seeing justice prevail. Normally I'm not fond of books written in the first person; I find them quite challenging and arduous. However, this book flowed so naturally that by the third chapter I'd forgotten all about it. It certainly wouldn't put me off reading further books in this great new series.

Overall, it was an extremely enjoyable easy read and I'm already looking forward to Constance Fairchild's next investigation. Grab yourself a copy here UK only: Read my review on my blog: Jul 10, Elaine Tomasso rated it really liked it. Con has been working on an undercover sting when she walks into the fake office and finds her boss, DI Pete Copperthwaite tied to a chair and shot dead. Con is immediately suspended pending an investigation but is bewildered as to why she is being scapegoated and even more so when someone tries to kill her.

I thoroughly enjoyed No Time to Cry which is an exciting read with a twisty plot. It is told in the first person by the feisty Con, never Constance or the dreaded Connie, and, while this is not my favourite format, it really suits the novel, giving it the immediacy and intimacy the plot deserves. The opening of the novel oozes atmosphere with the knives out for Con and her resultant anger, fear, distrust and impotence.

It is so effective I was ready to take up the cudgels on her behalf and, as a result of being so invested, missed some of the undercurrents that become more apparent as the novel progresses. I like the way the novel starts as one thing, an undercover operation gone spectacularly wrong, morphs into something else and finally comes full circle to reconcile all the different parts, although the denouement is, in my opinion, the weakest part of an otherwise very strong novel. It is not a police procedural as Con is suspended and acting independently and reads more like a thriller with its cartoon like baddie and Con dodging more than one bullet.

It's a thrilling, addictive read which had me hooked from start to finish. I really like Con and would gladly read more about her. I'll leave it to the reader to find out about her unconventional background from hints in the novel although I think there is much more to come. She is smart, feisty and resourceful with an even smarter mouth, which I love.

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She talks to the dead Pete, using him as a sounding board for her ideas. This is not woo-woo territory, like the Inspector McLain novels, as she is fully aware that he is dead but a coping mechanism for her grief and fear. It adds a little light relief to a high octane, action packed read. No Time to Cry is a great start to a new series which I have no hesitation in recommending as a good read. Nov 12, Yvonne rated it it was amazing. She arrives to find him dead. Not a simple death but tortured and then executed.

It soon becomes obvious she is being blamed. Oh my god, what a book! This has been an amazing read from start to finish and has stomped its way into my Top 10 Best Crime, Thriller reads of this year. The main character is Constance, or as she prefers Con and she is a brilliant character. As I got to know her better I discovered that there is a lot more to her than first meets the eye. Yes, she is tenacious, feisty and is never going to be backed into a corner without coming out again fighting, she has a work ethic that means she is like a dog with a bone in regards to discovering the truth.

Con is going to have a huge fight on her hands and several times I wondered how this would pan out. The plot is so dark and does include a subject that may not appeal to all readers, for me it was enough to get a picture of the facts without being overly graphic with the details. Throughout the story, there was that ever-present feeling that absolutely no-one could be trusted, a way to build up the suspense and have the nerves tingling.

The story is set mainly in London but does take in other locations and the characters that associated with them. It left me pondering throughout as to how she would ever get through her own private investigations. This is an absolute belter of a read with its dark and dangerous twisted paths. A story that had me at its very opening lines as that was where the suspense and intrigue started. This for me is an absolute must-read for anyone who likes suspense-filled, female-led, crime and thriller books.

The start of a new series, and I am really excited about this series and seriously look forward to more. This is a book that gets and absolutely highly recommended from me. Nov 07, Karen Cole rated it it was amazing. No Time To Cry is the first book in James Oswald's new Constance Fairchild series but he doesn't give his protagonist a gentle introduction. The shocking opening of the book sees the undercover DC summoned to the office that forms their operations base by her friend and boss, DI Pete Copperthwaite. When she arrives she is immediately aware that things don't seem right and her suspicions are proved correct when she discovers Pete has been badly beaten then executed by a shot to the head.

She might have reasonably assumed that things couldn't get much worse than finding a close colleague murdered but soon realises her life is in freefall as the finger of blame is pointed squarely in her direction. Suspected of compromising their mission or perhaps even being complicit in Pete's death; Con is suspended from duty and leaves the station under the angry gaze of her fellow officers.

It's not uncommon to find the lead character in a police procedural to be an outsider and that's most certainly true for Con. Aside from Pete, her colleagues and superior officers haven't ever warmly welcomed her to the team with their barely concealed misogyny and sneering attitude to Con's privileged background. However, as the novel progresses we discover she has always had a tendency to rebel and it is her tenaciousness which becomes her greatest asset as she finds her life suddenly turned on its axis.

The first person narrative is well chosen here, as it allows the reader to understand what drives this outspoken, resolute yet rather lonely woman as well as giving a sense of immediacy to the proceedings. The plot sees the action move between London, Northamptonshire and Scotland and each location is clearly defined and well-evoked. The pacing of the story is excellent too, switching between taut action scenes and quieter though no less ominous moments where Con begins to understand just what she is dealing with.

Her determination to clear her name isn't the only focus of her investigations after she is contacted by an old school friend whose sister, Izzy is missing.

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Con's visit back to the village where she grew up is an intriguing insight into what shaped her but also results in her dicey situation becoming even more perilous. There's a real feeling of claustrophobia as she discovers that wherever she runs to, somebody is on her tail but just what has she done to be in so much danger? Her desperate race against time to avoid capture - or a far worse fate - is absolutely compelling but this is much more than just an action-packed thriller.

There are some dark secrets uncovered here too and it makes for grim reading although the subject matter never feels gratuitous and is handled with honesty and sensitivity. There's another facet to the novel which I won't go into detail about suffice to say that I loved how James Oswald has left it up to each reader to draw their own conclusions about what the truth is here. I'm also fascinated to see whether this particular aspect of this series opener will be touched on again in future books. No Time To Cry is everything the first book in a series should be. The exciting plot is packed with tension and drama and a cast of characters who are vividly brought to life.

It's a pleasure too, to read a crime novel with so many strong female characters and I particularly loved Con's Aunt Felicity. Perhaps most importantly though, it introduces a thoroughly appealing protagonist whose uncertain future means I'm intrigued to see where she goes next. I can't wait to find out and highly recommend you introduce yourself to Con Fairchild; I predict this is a series which is going to become very, very popular - and deservedly so. Jul 27, Liz Mistry rated it really liked it.

In the aftermath, it seems someone in the Met is determined to Book Review: So let me introduce you to James Oswald's new lead character. Her name is Constance Con to her friends but never Connie Fairchild and she has a raft of demons from her own past to come to terms with but the murder of her firend Pete has left her bereft. The biggest issue at the moment is the fact that she has just discovered her boss and mentor murdered in an undercover operation gone badly wrong.

Constance is immediately under suspicion and the entire team turn against her. From a monied background, Connie is estranged from her parents, dismissive of her brother and has only one true ally - her aunt. Con is gutsy, outspoken and brave. She has an innate sense of justice that is not sugary sweet or piously annoying. Her vulnerability makes her stronger although she may not admit it , her personal experiences make her empathetic and her ability to divorce her loyalties from the 'job' make her interesting.

I think Oswald has done a cracking job in creating this new character. After so many McLean books, it must be hard to swing a new character past your existing readers but I think he's pulled it off with bells on. The plot was deliciously twisty with Con facing enemies from within and outwith the police. As the story progresses we find out more and more about Con and as this impacts on her investigation into her mentor's death we see her tenacity, loyalty and vulnerability.

The plot is fast paced and takes us the length and breadth of the country, which again appeals to me. Th gradual unraveling of the storylines had me gripped. The combination of Con's grief, past occurrences and the immediacy of having to react instantaneously were compelling. Con herself was a massive draw for me.

Oswald employed just the right amount of brush strokes throughout the novel to keep us invested in finding out more about her. He wasn't scared to show her vulnerability which made her all the more authentic.

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Through her interactions with subsidiary characters we were privy to insights into her character. I also loved the fact that Oswald included a smidgen of 'supernatural' throughout the book. I loved that about the McLean books and although it is less obvious in No Time To Cry, the addition of 'sixth sense' stuff is skillfully inserted. By the way, if you're a McLean fan then you're in for a treat as one of my favourite characters from the series makes a wee appearance in No Time To Cry.

So - toddle off an buy it the link is above you'll love it! Oct 29, Mary Picken rated it really liked it. I was lucky enough to pick up an early copy of this book at Bloody Scotland and to have it signed. Constance Fairchild does not disappoint. Set in London with brief forays further north, our protagonist is thirty year old rebel Constance Fairchild. Her closest ally at work is D. Peter Copperthwaite who is both friend and mentor. They are working on an undercover operation to target middle scale organised criminals when Con, called to the operations hub by Pete, finds the door open and Pete shot dead by a single bullet to the brain.

She barely has time to phone it in before she finds herself the object of suspicion. Con is very quickly ostracized by her colleagues, put on suspension by her bosses and is pretty much hung out to dry without so much as an explanation. Professional Standards are called in to investigate and Con is left out in the cold with no-one to turn to.

No Time to Cry (DC Constance Fairchild, #1) by James Oswald

The suspicion is that she has set Pete up for a hit. A not so chance meeting in her local pub with an old school friend, Charlotte de Villiers, turns out to be the reason Con needs to get herself out of London. But even in Newton Harston she is not safe and when Felicity offers her use of her place in Scotland she takes off leaving a trail of chaos behind her, none of it of her making.

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A trail of loose threads is spun together to make a fast and intriguing tale full of verve that goes from the rich and well-connected Edward de Villiers to the murder of a freelance journalist and the disappearance of Isobel de Villiers. Con is going to have to use her considerable determination and courage to outwit those who are after her and find Izzy, but Oswald has created a bold, witty and courageous protagonist who is not afraid to take chances in pursuit of the truth.

There are some trademark Oswald touches here and there that made me smile, not least the visitor in the cottage in Scotland, but this is still a very different series to his Tony McLean books and its strength lies in the strong narrative arc that makes this book such a great read. A great start to a new series from a terrific storyteller. Oct 29, J Fearnley rated it really liked it. The story is told from her point of view, by her and we are immediately plunged into her thoughts, life and character.

The premise is terrific DC Fairch 3. Con is sent home to await a debrief. She takes a slight detour on the way home to the station to check out the surveillance system in the ops base. Is Con really a suspect — how could that be? Surely they know that…. Then someone tries to kill her. An old school friend makes contact with Con, asking for help, her little sister Izzy has disappeared. The characters are well drawn, as you would expect from such an experienced author, the story builds pace and tension with plenty to keep you guessing along the way.

Some of the characters are not too nice and some of the subject matter may be difficult but there is nothing overly graphic. I liked Con, although the role Pete was given irked ever so slightly, she has an interesting background and a strong spirit. There are twists and turns to this elaborate plot which unfold as Con puts the pieces together. This is a compelling story. I look forward to reading more of Constance Fairchild.

Sep 22, Nicki Southwell rated it it was amazing Shelves: Her nightmare begins at this point. Losing some-one she respected and liked is the least of the problems. She came from a monied and titled background but Con doesn't appear to have any of those trappings. Indeed she goes out of her way to Detective Constable Con Fairchild is working in the Metropolitan Police's Serious Crime Squad when she receives a text from a colleague.

Indeed she goes out of her way to appear as any thing but. Her home is an ex-council flat in a run down area, but with an exorbitant rent. A typical grey concrete building without any style at all. Finding Pete's body is the start of a training event which becomes very dangerous for her. At the station, she is shunned. When anyone does speak to her it is to give orders. Professional Standards also do not appear to be on, side neither is her superiors. A school friend gets in touch and asks for her help in finding her young sister, Izzy.

She is only 16 years old and has disappeared. The fact that this is not the first time ensures that no-one is really surprised. This proves to be difficult and dangerous. Three attempts are made on her life and the girls' father kidnaps and threated her. Do these two cases have something in common? He realises that Pete's cover was blown by some-one on the team, but who?

Izzy's father is a rich and influential man who has fingers in many pies. He is a great friend to her own parents so she has known him all her life. He loathes him and his wandering hands.

He is one of the reasons she has not spoken to her parents for 5 years. The only family member that she likes and trusts is Aunt Felicity. She turns up at her house, their past disagreement forgotten, and she finds an ally in her. Fleeing to Scotland to save her own life, she also finds out quite a lot about Izzy's. Suddenly things begin to add up. This is a very exciting and fast-paced read that I just had to keep reading until the end. I am already looking for more books by James Oswald. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased.

My thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity. Oswald's Altered Mirror Images! Given the faith in his own writing that Oswald showed by self-publishing his first Inspector McLean novel it felt inevitable that he would not want himself to be constrained by a single lead protagonist and so Constance Fairchild must have been born. Oswald's new series is once again a crime thriller but in many ways it's everything the McLean series is not. Of course with Oswald things aren't going well for Con when we join her and they don't improve a great deal as things go on. She's plunged into danger from the off and suspicion falls on her when her boss is brutally executed.

I will be very interested to see what our lady reviewers make of this one as Oswald does what felt to this male ignoramus a very decent job of portraying a strong and very enjoyable female character. Much better than a number of more feted thriller writers have managed in recent years anyway. She's spunky, swears a lot but is never OTT, she feels like a finely balanced character and one worthy of her own series.

This is also mostly much more direct than the McLean series and there is less attempt to build a loveable set of characters like the wonderful Grumpy Bob and Mrs McCutcheon's cat. There is however an appearance from one of my favourite denizens of McLean's Edinburgh which I particularly enjoyed. This confirms that Fairchild occupies the same world with the same laws of super nature perhaps.

Rose Ackroyd gives a fine performance with good narrative and character voicing though part of the way through she became very slightly husky suggesting a small throat problem though it never spoils it. Fans of Oswald are likely to enjoy this book I would imagine but it is very different in style, you aren't getting a female Inspector McLean by any stretch and as Oswald suggests in an introduction read by himself she isn't quite so married to the job.

It is damn good though and I have no reservations in recommending it with the only caveat being that if you're after more of the same from Oswald you might be disappointed. Sep 13, Andrea rated it really liked it Shelves: Blindsided by the murder of her boss, Detective Constable Constance Fairchild soon realizes that the Met fully intends to lay the blame entirely on her shoulders rather than come clean about their botched undercover operation.

Everything about the shooting of Detective Inspector Pete Copperthwaite shrieks of a cover up, and the Met obviously do not expect their junior officer to offer much resistance to the closing of their ranks against her. How wrong they are. Under threat and under constant surveillance whilst on suspension from duties, Con needs to get out of town quickly. Asked to investigate the disappearance of a teenager from her hometown, Con is happy to shoot through and lie low from the police investigation that seems to be going nowhere.

Constance appears as a fully formed resourceful character with an interesting background and the holder of some firm convictions. No flies on this officer, Con relies on no one but herself and is pleasantly surprised if any of her colleagues in the Met are actually non-biased and useful.

Scottish author James Oswald has written here the first entry of a new series, also authors the successful Inspector Maclean series still ongoing. NO TIME TO CRY is a polished police procedural that nails the ebb and flow of action and introspection, introducing us to the capable DC Constance Fairchild, a police officer in a bind who will dig in deep and not let anyone squash the truth about the murder of her colleague and friend.

The recommendation here is to get on board with what promises to be a cracking new British police procedural series. Nov 06, Sandra rated it it was amazing. Being a huge fan of Tony McLean, I was not sure what to expect — could anything possibly be as good? I need not have worried. We are thrown in at the deep end when Con discovers the body of her boss who has been brutally murdered while working undercover. She finds herself under suspicion, suspended and fearing for her life. Resourceful, dogged and good at thinking on her feet, Con eventually manages to break through the conspiracy and find out who is responsible for the death of DI Pete Copperthwaite.

Although set in London, this reads more like a road trip, and has a cinematic quality that would make a great film or TV series. The first person narrative lends immediacy to the story and helps introduce us to the world that Con inhabits; we are given just enough detail about her past throughout the book to keep us intrigued.

James Oswald is to be commended for having written a thoroughly believable young female character, and not focussing too much on her appearance. I particularly like the inclusion of Rose, the cat with no name and the familiar hint of the supernatural — nods to the McLean series. The dark subject matter is dealt with in a sensitive way, although it is still deeply disturbing.

General Comment I think severance's interpretation is way too literal. Song Meaning This song is about the actual Emotional Strength everyone has inside of themselves.. Andrew is quite a powerful singer. And carries his emotions over to you the one listing in a powerful voice.

You translate your own emotions through this and his music The emphasis is on the"But it's" just before the chorus. Andrew places a positive message of trust into your own emotions to then believe that Everything will be alright Everything will turn out fine Some nights I still can't sleep And the voices pass with time And I keep Here he provides you with the answer to your problems..

Just like he would have sorted it out for himself emotionally. It's just a feeling I get sometimes A feeling Sometimes He too gets emotional. General Comment SoM simultaneously invent and critique emo.

Log in now to add this track to your mixtape! We do not have any tags for No Time To Cry lyrics. Why not add your own? Log in to add a tag. More The Sisters of Mercy Lyrics. SongMeanings is a place for discussion and discovery. Login with Facebook Error: Login with Google Error: