Just a few samples of reviews received .You can also see reviews on WH Smith, Play.com and Amazon websites.
Deadly Focus
Review by Natasha Harding
The Sun Newspaper Friday July 31st

Deadly Focus, R C Bridgestock (AuthorHouse, £9.99): When nine-year old Daisy Hind vanishes while walking home from her grandma’s house, the town of Harrowfield is in uproar.
Then footie ace Christopher Spencer is found hanging after celebrating two winning goals – and investigating office Jack Dylan knows he has a serial killer on his hands.
The perpetrator is intent on causing as much pain to the families of his victims and needs to be caught soon.
The husband-and-wife co-authors, who spent years working within the police force, make this fictional tale believable in every way. A cracking
story.

Author Jacqueline King wrote: "The big problem with reading Deadly Focus is that you can't put it down when you need to."

http://ourbookreviewsonline.blogspot.com/ ‘The Mole’


Terry and I both really enjoyed Deadly Focus - we thought all the policing came across in a very realistic and believable way. You could tell it was written by someone with immense experience from the 'inside'. So glad to hear it is doing well and the next ones are in the pipeline.

Wendy K Harris
Author
The Sorrow of Sisters
Blue Slipper Bay
Rocken Edge
Trampling Snowdrops


Dear Carol and Bob,

Things are still so hectic, but I've managed to make a start on Deadly Focus, and I think it's marvellous. It's both witty and harrowing, and the dialogue and characters are great. It also reveals so much about working coppers' problems with the system. I know this sort of thing has been dealt with in previous police stories, but you bring a deeper insight to it without being preachy or pretentious. Most importantly, the police characters are believable and one cares about them. The mortuary viewing scene with the dead child is heartbreaking. In fact, it's a difficult book to put down. But at the moment I have to because of this latest MM still being in production. So perhaps we could get together and have a cup of tea and a natter when I've managed to finish reading it, which I hope will be soon.


Best wishes,

Peter Hammond
(Script writer of Midsomer Murders – Torchwood – Sapphire & Steele etc….

Hi Carol, Was off on Mon and read the book in one day! Very good read! Marg
Margaret Emsley | Programme Editor | News Yorkshire - Newsroom Editorial | ITV plc
The Television Centre, Kirkstall Road | LEEDS | LS3 1JS | Tel: 0113 2228940 | Margaret.Emsley@ITV.COM

ITV plc Head Office Tel +44 (0) 20 7156 6000 itv.com

25 March: Arthur Taylor has been supporting the Hospice and Haylands farm as his charities as Chairman of the Council and this evening we were bidden to join him and Doreen to the Conservative Club in Shanklin for a buffet supper and talk by the ex-police detective Bob Bridgestock. Bob was with the Yorkshire Constabulary for many years before retiring to live on the Island and he shared some of his experiences of detective work, mostly talking about the murder investigations he had led. He and Carol had previously very kindly given me a copy of their book "Deadly Focus" when I bumped into them at one of the Hospice's Garden Parties. This book takes the reader through a murder investigation from the eyes of the lead officer. Interesting and all-consuming work.From Gay Edwards – High Sheriff of the IOW www.highsheriff-iow.org

Dear Carol and Bob,

An overdue thank you for my very precious signed copy of a really great read – Deadly Focus.

It was truly an unputdownable book that I thoroughly enjoyed and I am anxiously waiting for the sequel.

I feel privileged to have received the book from you.

Hope to meet you both one day…

Warmest wishes,

Joy


Joy Yaffe
Consultant in Brand Building/Brand Awareness.
Milan, Italy

It was a good read and you really captured the atmosphere and pressure felt by detectives during a running enquiry. I look forward with eager anticipation for your next books. - Tony Ridley (Retired Detective Superintendent West Yorkshire Police).

When you pick up Deadly Focus it’s difficult to put it down. What a super read! If you ever need to discuss/clarify points of law, you need only put pen to paper or pick up the phone.
Yours sincerely – David Pickover MBE – (Retired - West Yorkshire Police)

Hi Carol,
Thank you for the event yesterday, it was my day off but the staff said it went well. We had a phone call from a customer who bought the book from you yesterday and she said to tell you it is the best thing she has read for ages!
Regards,
Ceinwen Mawson - Manager of Waterstones Bradford Wool Exchange
Dear Carol
Thank you for your email. Just to let you know I have now read your book and must say I found it to be well written and held my interest right to the end. Congratulations. I am sure it would transfer to a very good TV drama or film too.
I contacted the address you gave me earlier and have received a copy for our college library – thank you.
Best wishes
Mary
Mary Silk
Marketing Officer
The Isle of Wight College
01983 550580 (direct dial)
01983 526631 (switchboard)
www.iwcollege.ac.uk
'putting students first' 'working for employers' 'raising community aspirations'

I read the first four chapters last night and I’m hooked! It’s fantastic! I’m hoping to finish it by the end of the week.
I’m very happy to go ahead with placing an order for 50 copies to sell in the tic’s. I will put the order through this afternoon so you should receive email confirmation shortly
Kind regards
Lisa White | Retail & Sales Officer | Strategic Tourism | Isle of Wight

Carole Dove – Chief Executive Propellor TV (SKY) Winner of Hotbirds Award 2008
The novel takes you on a gripping venture into a criminal world that most of us are fortunate enough never to encounter. For Detective Inspector Jack Dylan the pressure is on as a young girl vanishes. A body is found in alarming circumstances alerting everyone to the horror that is unfolding - the novel twists and turns – expect to smile and expect to cry as the tension builds as Jack has to cope with the relentless pressure driven by the need to find justice for the victims families.

It was like being back in an incident room and reliving the trauma of a murder all over again. Never read anything so true to life. Don't know you and Bob at all really but were the characters based on you? It was great and you must be very proud. Can't wait for the next one. Shelagh – Australia



I have finished the book and wanted to write and just say how great it was and how much I enjoyed it!!

I loved the characters esp Jack - I even laughed out loud - the final stage review meeting with Eddie/Edward and the plate of food and the comment from Jack......
It was great - suspense, humour, reality, sadness and also a great plot - the two of you are really talented. I am a book worm and I love crime stories and thrillers. I just can't wait for the next instalment - get writing!! Louise – West Yorkshire


Congratulations on a superb book which I thoroughly enjoyed from cover to cover. The only trouble with reading a new book so quickly is the long wait until the next one is available! There was a realism in the characters and plotline which is missing in some detective work these days. And having spent 30 years in WYP I was there in the Interview Rooms, cells and property stores, (which in my mind were all Dewsbury!!!) I could empathise with the officers doing the death warnings and identifications, sadly something I had to do many times through road accidents, and thought the tone of these sections was so right.
I read the final chapters sat in the car park at St Mary's Hospital before a Night Shift and found it strangely very moving to be at the Hospital where I knew Jen's mother to be as I was reading it. That is why I love books,you can be there with the characters far more than film, and I was there all the way with this book.
I will be recommending the book to all my associates and will get it to Canada where my daughter lives and studies. She is an great reader of detective fiction so hopefully may get it circulating over in her University. (It is available on amazon.ca)
Best wishes for a successful run with the book signings and continued luck with the sales.
John Berry (Retired Police Officer)

Just had to tell you how much I enjoyed Deadly Focus. I’m a huge crime fiction fan and I read this in two sittings - I finished it at about 3am today!! I’m looking forward to the next book and I really mean that. Lisa B – Earl Mountbatten Hospice

Finished the book in one sitting – couldn’t put it down and that’s from a non-fiction reader!! I’m hooked when’s the next one out? Alison Bennet – Isle of Wight

Very good luck with the book, I hope it does well, I feel it will. Best regards, Bruce – Yorkshire Evening Post

Deadly Focus was obviously written by authors who know what happens behind the scene of a murder case. Amongst all the factual information explaining to the lay person what the police do to catch the baddie, the characters come over as very human and determined to catch the villains and not make any mistakes along the way. Inspector Dylan was a memorable player and it is obvious that this is the first book of many – a new fictional detective is born. Can’t wait for the next book!
Trudy Draper - IOW Magistrate

"I thoroughly recommend Deadly Focus to all fans of detective fiction. The dedication of Dylan and his team, the pain felt by the families of the murdered children and the self-justification of the killer all show an intimate knowledge and understanding of the way a murder enquiry is conducted. A really enjoyable read - page turning and true to life. Buy a copy today!"

Louise Kimber


I've finished reading Deadly Focus and enjoyed it immensely. I have to agree with what a lot of other people have said, that you feel like you're really behind the scenes of the police, not just in the way of finding out about the formal procedures, which is really interesting, but I felt I got a taste of what it would be like to be in that kind of job. I loved Dylan's character and I think you had just the right balance between the investigation and his private life with Jen. Good false leads too… My mum already said that it's better than Dick Francis and I have to agree (and she's a MASSIVE D.F. fan!). Helen Driver – Australia


I want to congratulate you both on your wonderful first novel, Deadly Focus, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The structure was well planned and the progression so expertly plotted that it draws the reader into the story from the first page and maintains the intrigue through to the end of the book. The short chapters are perfect, as they make you want to read 'just a bit more' and you move so quickly through the investigation and arrest process to the well written conclusion. The style is very reader-friendly, carrying you along in a compelling narrative with fast pace and gripping chapters. A book that is so easy to read that you find you want to see what happens and cannot put it down! This is a superb achievement and I look forward to many future adventures with Dylan and Jen!
Many many congratulations on a terrific book!
Janet Carbone – Secretary to Chief Superintendent, West Yorkshire Police

I just wanted to send you a note telling you I have finshed the book and I loved it!! I actually felt I was a part of the crime team. The evil little man gave me chills though! AGH! I went to a relatively large high school and I can remember there were bullies who did some stunts to boys who were not so popular. Makes you think how your past can dictate your future! Anyway, one of my favorite parts was the scene where Dylan was asked had he overdosed on Boxtox or been kissing wasps! I belly laughed so hard! But I felt the most compelling scenes were when the families were told of their children's murders. It was heart wrenching. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know how thoroughly I enjoyed the book and I will be telling my friends!

Take care and many blessings to you!
Tanya Georgia Atlanta


Geraldine Evans Hi Carol and Bob
Have just finished Deadly Focus and thoroughly enjoyed it. A truly believable tale and your main character, Jack Dylan, is a strong lead. Can't wait for the next one!

I just wanted to let you know that I read the book while I was away at the weekend. I thought it was fantastic and I couldn’t
Put it down I really enjoyed it, can’t wait for the next one.

Best wishes

Jayne
Marvins Estate Agency

Carol and Bob

I read your book.

Having been engaged on several Murder Reviews I think I have a rather
critical eye. At first I was slow getting into the story but the pace
soon quickened, and got to the stage where I didn’t want to put it
down.

Needless to say I enjoyed the plot and the characters and look forward
to your next book later this year.


I also learned a little I didn’t know about murder investigations and
only wished my SIOs had been more open. Donald Craig didn’t say much at
all.

Dick Bond – Retired Police Officer -West Yorkshire Police Drug Squad ( )