Whatever It Takes by Rachel Abbott

Whatever It Takes

 by Rachel Abbott

Whatever It Takes by Rachel Abbott was published on 11th March 2025 by Black Dot Publishing. My thanks to Rachel and the publisher for sending me copy to review and also to Anne at Random Things Tours for inviting me on to the tour.

Synopsis

Recovering from a gunshot wound that nearly cost him his life, DCI Tom Douglas isn’t focused on himself – his concern is for his brother Jack, who seems to have vanished without a trace. Jack’s past is as dangerous as it is complicated. Years ago, he faked his own death to escape an organised crime group, and ever since, he’s been living in the shadows, always one step ahead of those who want to hunt him down. Now, Tom’s worst fears are coming true. Has Jack’s past finally caught up with him? And what does that mean for his family? Tom has to find them, but the answers he seeks are hidden in a brutal underworld - one more threatening than anything Tom has faced before. With time running out and his own life on the line, Tom must decide how far he’s willing to go and how much he’s prepared to sacrifice, knowing it will mean crossing a line he swore he never would. But there is another player in this game – one who will stop at nothing to find the answers she seeks. And if Tom makes the wrong move, he, and everyone he loves, will lose. He’s spent his life chasing criminals. But to save his family, he might have to become one.

My Review

This is one of the most gripping books that I have read so far this year and , as usual, Rachel Abbott doesn’t disappoint with her intricate plot and sub plots. This was so compelling a read that I literally couldn’t put it down until I had finished it. You sympathise with Tom and the different dilemmas he faces as his life and career are put on the line as he does his utmost to find and save his family from the brutality of the mafia and the dark criminal underworld. 

I spent so much time metaphorically holding my breath , wondering if he had made the right decision and what would I do if I found myself in his situation as there is , understandably, some real soul searching at times. Also when do you have a choice and when don’t you have a choice opens up quite a few moralistic thoughts.

This is also a story though about humanity and the knowledge of how, no matter what , friends and family will look out for each other and do what they can to help.

As the front cover states this is a book with No Rules, No Choice and No Turning back.

Whatever It Takes will definitely be featured somewhere in my top ten reads of the year.

About Rachel

Rachel Abbott is the bestselling author of the Tom Douglas series of books, which have sold over 5 million copies in the English language and have been translated into over 20 languages. Whatever it Takes is the 12th thriller in this series, and Rachel Abbott has released four novels in the Stephanie King series with Headline under the Wildfire imprint. The first in the series - And So It Begins - was listed as one of The Times best crime novels of the year. Born and raised in Manchester, Abbott founded her own interactive media company in the 1980s before retiring in 2005. She then moved to Italy where she wrote her first novel, Only the Innocent, which she went on to publish via Kindle Direct Publishing, topping their chart for 4 weeks. A true self-publishing pioneer, Abbott now lives in Alderney in the Channel Islands.