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Book synopsis

A story over a decade in the making, First Detection is a dark, gripping, and witty urban martial arts thriller that blurs the line between reality, mysticism, and street justice.

When a suspect calling himself "Mr. Even Steven" walks into Maidstone Police Station and surrenders to Detective Constables Claire Richardson and John Darby, the officers expect a straightforward confession for the murder of James Idiols. Instead, they get pulled into a wild tale of secret martial arts societies, deadly energy manipulation, and a long-running vendetta.

Even claims to belong to an elite lineage of martial artists who can tap into chi to deliver an untraceable "no-touch" technique, leaving victims looking like they suffered sudden heart attacks or organ failure. During his interrogation, Even opens up about his training with his late mentor, "Righteous Justice" (Ricky Johnston), and how the pair carried out vigilante hits on ruthless criminals under the watch of their cold Master, Tom.

As Even recounts his game of cat and mouse across England and France, including a tense meeting with the enigmatic Harriot Hellberg at a Chatham dojo, the detectives try to separate eccentric fantasy from cold facts. But when Even casually knocks out the entire room and slips away without leaving a trace, Claire and John face a chilling reality: the technique is real, and they are hunting a killer who cannot be stopped by normal law enforcement.

Fast-paced, dryly hilarious, and packed with gritty action, First Detection brings a fresh twist to the classic British police procedural.

Book details

• Full title: First Detection
• Subtitle: Gingerbread Man
• Author: Louis A Tandoh
• Language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 428
• EAN: 9781807771560
• ISBN: 1807771563
• ID: 54376048
• Publisher: londonpublisher.co.uk
• Weight: 571 g
• Dimensions: 229 × 152 × 22 mm
• Date of publishing: 14. October 2026

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