[Alfie Bowman Novellas 05] • A Handsome Stranger

Unlikely hero Alfie Bowman seems to be in everyone’s bad books since his last escapade. He even appears to have upset ‘girlfriend’ Sophia Ingliss, but Sophia’s sensible thinking neice Jelena suggests that perhaps if he was to just talk to her he would find that he’s not the reason she’s upset.

Meanwhile, down at Tinton police station DS Dave Slater finds he has a temporary boss. It seems London gangster Slick Tony is hiding out locally and the Serious Crime Unit’s DI Jimmy Jones has been sent to lead the hunt.

Blissfully unaware that he has already crossed paths with fugitive Slick Tony, Alfie unwittingly discovers his hiding place when he sees the handsome stranger watching him through a bedroom window.

Alfie has seen that face before and he can remember exactly where and when! This was the man who made the shape of a gun with his hand and fired an imaginary bullet at him.

Then, out of the blue Alfie gets a strange phone call on behalf of Sophia’s ‘husband’. But she’s always told Alfie she’s divorced. When he asks her about it she’s adamant that she is divorced, but now they begin to realise that someone has been watching them...

After days of surveillance and planning, the operation to apprehend Slick Tony is nearing its climax when Dave Slater makes a startling discovery and Sophia goes missing. Then, as Slater watches the whole operation begin to unravel on screen before him, colleague Steve Biddecombe points out something quite unexpected that makes him bolt from the house in a desperate race to get to the fugitive first.

Why had Slick Tony made a gun and fired at Alfie? What was he doing in a quiet little town like Tinton? What would make Dave Slater break cover and race to get to Slick Tony first?

This fifth novella in the Alfie Bowman series is packed with the usual mix of humour, mystery, drama and, of course, there’s the ongoing romance too. Will Alfie and Sophia finally take the next step forward in their relationship? Read this book right now – it’s the only way you’ll find out.