A Numbers Game by RJ Dark

Release: June 4th 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Wavesback
Source: Zooloo Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon UK, Amazon US

One dead man and a missing lottery ticket.

Two family members who need that money to get away from the rundown Blades Edge estate.

Three local gangsters who want that money for themselves.

Meet Malachite Jones – the foremost (and only) psychic medium on the gritty Blades Edge estate. All he wants are two things: a name that isn’t ‘Malachite’, and a quiet life. And maybe some real psychic powers, but he’s making a living without them.

Janine Stanbeck wants to find her dead husband Larry’s winning ticket and escape Blades Edge with her son. And she thinks Mal can help her.

But Larry’s dad is the crime lord of the estate. And he wants that ticket for himself. And worse for Mal, he’s not the only criminal with his eyes on it. Add in two coppers desperate to nick Mal’s best, only, and admittedly quite dangerous, friend, Jackie Singh Kattar, and Blades Edge is getting pretty crowded.

Malachite Jones might not really be able to talk to the dead, but if he and his friend Jackie Singh Kattar can’t find that money and a solution that pleases everyone they’re likely to be in need of a psychic medium themselves.

The first Mal Jones and Jackie Singh Kattar adventure: a chaotic rollercoaster ride through a Yorkshire landscape full of double crossing friends, dogged police, psychotic gangster and voices from the other side

About the Author:

RJ Dark grew up on the edges of Leeds and the edges of society.

Spending his youth as an underground musician and occasional club promoter, he then moved on to stints as an advertising copywriter, trainer, playwright, music reviewer, amateur historian, TV cameraman, anarchist, contrarian, engineer and fraud investigator. After a long battle with chronic illness, RJ finally settled on a career in writing. He lives in a crumbling ancient mansion somewhere in Yorkshire and surrounds himself by books, music, animals and his family.

RJ is the author of the Mal & Jackie crime series – Wavesback is the publisher of his debut novel A Numbers Game , and more will follow.

You can connect with RJ on Twitter

Twitter | Goodreads

A Numbers Game Review:

“A Numbers Game” is a gripping crime fiction novel that starts with searching for a missing lottery ticket but turns out to be much more!

The central aspect that stood out for me in the story was the bond between Jackie and Mal. The author wrote the dynamic between the two so nicely, and you feel they have protective nature over each other. I also enjoyed the scenes where Jackie physically trains Mal by showing her how to throw a punch, dislocate an arm, perform a chokehold, and whatnot. What’s also nice is how the author added a touch of humor to Mal’s dialogues. I liked how the author told the story from Mal’s perspective, where you feel like you have a connection with the character. Even minor characters like Beryl made me chuckle with her behavior.

While the mystery/crime element of the story was secondary for me, I did enjoy many moments that the author included. One of the shocking moments was when someone places a black bag over Mal’s head and kidnaps her. The author consists of quite a few twists and turns as Mal investigates Lawrence’s death. Other moments also excited me, like when they check out the lockers or find out about the Russian gangsters. Also, some exciting side arcs, like Benny Callaghan, Trolley Mick, and Kev, added well to the storyline. The author also ends the story in a bitter-sweet manner that makes you curious about how the next book in the “Mal and Jackie” series would continue.

Overall, “A Numbers Game” turned out to be an entertaining crime fiction novel, and I am excited to see how it continues.