What You Pay For

Shortlisted for McIlvanney and CWA Awards

Author: Claire Askew Series: DI Birch

Dedicated cop Helen Birch faces a terrible choice - family or justice? - in the gripping second novel from the author of All The Hidden Truths

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Summary

Dedicated cop Helen Birch faces a terrible choice - family or justice? - in the gripping second novel from the author of All The Hidden Truths

Description

FROM THE AUTHOR OF ALL THE HIDDEN TRUTHS, WHICH WON THE MCILVANNEY DEBUT PRIZE

'(a) meticulous and compelling novel about the aftermath of a major crime and its effect on the affected families and investigating officers both. Set in Edinburgh, too' - Ian Rankin

'Askew asks intricate moral questions, while never ignoring the rigours of crime' - Daily Mail

DI Helen Birch faces a terrible choice - family or justice? - in the gripping second novel from the author of All the Hidden Truths

DI Birch joined the police to find her little brother, who walked out of his life one day and was never seen again. She stayed to help others, determined to seek justice where she could.

On the fourteenth anniversary of Charlie's disappearance, Birch takes part in a raid on one of Scotland's most feared criminal organisations. It's a good day's work - a chance to get a dangerous man off the streets.

Two days later, Charlie comes back. It's not a coincidence. When Birch finds out exactly what he's been doing all those years, she faces a terrible choice: save the case, or save her brother. But how can you do the right thing when all the consequences are bad?

As she interrogates Charlie, he tells his story: of how one wrong turn leads to a world in which the normal rules no longer apply, and you do what you must to survive.

From one of the most acclaimed new voices in crime fiction, What You Pay For is a brilliantly tense and moving novel about the terrible disruption caused by violence and the lines people will cross to protect those they love.

Critic Reviews

“Praise for What You Pay For - : Ambitious - Sunday Times Crime ClubAnother top-notch slice of Scottish noir - Mail on SundayAskew is a writer to watch - The Sunday Times Askew asks intricate moral questions, while never ignoring the rigours of crime - Daily MailAskew is a master of dialogue ... Birch is a great character ... There's a pleasing vein of dark humour ... The breakneck pace and adrenaline will leave readers as spent as the sleep-deprived DI Birch - The Scotsman Intriguing and brilliant - The SkinnyPraise for ALL THE HIDDEN TRUTHS - .”

Praise for What You Pay For - :

Ambitious - Sunday Times Crime Club

Another top-notch slice of Scottish noir - Mail on Sunday

Askew is a writer to watch - The Sunday Times

Askew asks intricate moral questions, while never ignoring the rigours of crime - Daily Mail

Askew is a master of dialogue ... Birch is a great character ... There's a pleasing vein of dark humour ... The breakneck pace and adrenaline will leave readers as spent as the sleep-deprived DI Birch - The Scotsman

Intriguing and brilliant - The Skinny

Praise for ALL THE HIDDEN TRUTHS - .

About the Author

Claire Askew's debut novel All The Hidden Truths won the 2016 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize as a work in progress, and the 2019 McIlvanney Debut Crime Fiction Award. Two of her novels have been shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger. Her fourth novel, A Matter of Time, was longlisted for the McIlvanney Crime Novel of the Year 2022. Claire is also a poet and non-fiction writer and she lives in Carlisle.

More on this Book

FROM THE AUTHOR OF ALL THE HIDDEN TRUTHS, WHICH WON THE MCILVANNEY DEBUT PRIZE '(a) meticulous and compelling novel about the aftermath of a major crime and its effect on the affected families and investigating officers both. Set in Edinburgh, too' - Ian Rankin 'Askew asks intricate moral questions, while never ignoring the rigours of crime' - Daily Mail DI Helen Birch faces a terrible choice - family or justice? - in the gripping second novel from the author of All the Hidden Truths DI Birch joined the police to find her little brother, who walked out of his life one day and was never seen again. She stayed to help others, determined to seek justice where she could.On the fourteenth anniversary of Charlie's disappearance, Birch takes part in a raid on one of Scotland's most feared criminal organisations. It's a good day's work - a chance to get a dangerous man off the streets. Two days later, Charlie comes back. It's not a coincidence. When Birch finds out exactly what he's been doing all those years, she faces a terrible choice: save the case, or save her brother. But how can you do the right thing when all the consequences are bad? As she interrogates Charlie, he tells his story: of how one wrong turn leads to a world in which the normal rules no longer apply, and you do what you must to survive.From one of the most acclaimed new voices in crime fiction, What You Pay For is a brilliantly tense and moving novel about the terrible disruption caused by violence and the lines people will cross to protect those they love.