After the Fire - Tapa dura

'The plot is wonderful, the characterisation of a family in crisis is both sharp and sympathetic, and the author does not shy away from examining the less palatable aspects of relations between the police and the public.' -- Guardian 'Bigger than the sum of its parts, and transcending its thriller label, this is a canvas of human nature ... of love and loss and heartbreak and how ordinary people recover after the fire. If you can contain all this in one novel, and contain it well, that'll be what makes it so good.' -- Scotland on Sunday 20090315 'Both a gripping thriller and a moving psychological study, AFTER THE FIRE shows Campbell, herself a former police officer, to be a writer of immense talent and emotional power, and on the brink of huge success.' -- Daily Express 20090315 'The characters from Campbell's blistering debut The Twilight Time return and they bring with them the sharp, perceptive prose and meticulous attention to detail that are fast establishing the author as a literary force to be reckoned with.' -- Daily Record 20090315 'Looks set to cement her reputation ... she handles this topical and gripping tale with expert skill.' -- News of the World 20090315 'Raw, real and so evocative you can almost hear the screams. Bang those drums and get the word out... if this debut is a true reflection of her talent then she's going to be huge.' -- Daily Record 20080421 'A cracking plot.' -- Daily Mail 20090313 'Campbell's debut is a rare example of a crime novel which, in the energy of the writing and finely observed detail, transcends genre limitations.' -- The List 20080428 'powered by stiletto-sharp prose... a pertinent expose of the contamination seeping into lives from prostitution and a drugs economy ruled by money-laundering thugs. But against this background, her story also vividly illustrates the physical and emotional damage caused to police officers by the vile reality of their work.' -- The Herald on THE TWILIGHT TIME 20080224 'I loved it. Anna is a great, original character and Karen Campbell has a great way with images.' -- Kate Atkinson on THE TWILIGHT TIME 20071114 '..enough pace and atmosphere to give the likes of Denise Mina a run for their money.' -- Mark Billingham on THE TWILIGHT TIME 20071207

Someone is dead because of Jamie. Yesterday they were alive. When we woke up yesterday and argued about how many pairs of shoes I could take, that person was alive, making coffee maybe. Scratching her arm or yawning in the mirror...Newly qualified as a firearms officer, Jamie Worth is called to a domestic disturbance. Events get out of hand, and he shoots and kills a teenaged girl who appears to have been unarmed. Already wracked with guilt, he is horrified when, with the media baying for blood, he is accused of murder. How can a cop survive in prison, when he suddenly finds himself on the wrong side of the law? And how can his wife Cath and ex-lover Anna come to terms with what has happened? From the author of THE TWILIGHT TIME, AFTER THE FIRE is a chilling glimpse of the flipside of life as a law enforcer, written in 'stiletto-sharp prose' (The Herald) by one of the most exciting new voices in crime fiction.