MINM Review: You Can Run by Steve Mosby

An altogether satisfying British police procedural, You Can Run is suspenseful, tense, poignant, and very cleverly plotted. Steve Mosby has, once again, shown himself to be a terrific storyteller. If you are not yet familiar with Mr. Mosby's crime fiction writing, You Can Run would be a great place to start. 

Violence: Moderate

Profanity: Mild-to-Moderate

Sexual Content: Mild

Explicit Language: None

Animal Cruelty: Mild-to-Moderate

Thrilling Action: Mild

Red Herrings: Moderate

Twists and Turns: Moderate

Suspense: Moderate-to-High

Plot Development: Moderate-to-High

Character Development: Moderate-to-High

Pages: 336 (Hardcover)

MINM Overall Rating: 5/5

Best for Crime Fiction Readers:

  • Who enjoy British police procedurals. If you enjoy lots of British banter and deduction amongst your DI's, DCI's, and DCS's, You Can Run should fit the bill. The book also includes several scenes of law enforcement professionals formally interviewing a suspect, an added plus.
  • Who enjoy "literary" crime fiction. The lead protagonist in the novel is quirky, intuitive, and introspective, lending a bit of a philosophical tone to You Can Run that may appeal to fans of more literary crime fiction.
  • Who appreciate, or don't mind, some of the "otherworldly" in their crime and mystery fiction. There is just a whisper of it in You Can Run.
  • Who appreciate some nostalgia and/or coming-of-age elements in their crime fiction.
  • Who appreciate crime and mystery fiction that makes the reader feel deliciously off-kilter, as the reader is never quite certain which characters in the story can be trusted.
  • Who appreciate, or don't mind, crime fiction that focuses on the how, and the why (including the psychology) more than on the whodunit. Long after the killer's identity was all but assured, Mystery in Minutes was rapidly turning the pages, eagerly trying to assemble the jigsaw of Mr. Mosby's skillful plot, right up until the final section of the novel.
You Can Run by Steve Mosby book cover image.jpg

Publisher's Blurb:

A page-turning psychological thriller, the new novel from CWA Dagger winner Steve Mosby explores the blurred lines between truth and fiction.


When a car crashes into a garage on an ordinary street, the attending officer is shocked to look inside the damaged building and discover a woman imprisoned within. As the remains of several other victims are found in the attached house, police believe they have finally identified the Red River Killer—a man who has been abducting women for nearly twenty years and taunting the police with notes about his crimes. But now the main suspect, John Blythe, is on the run.

As the manhunt for Blythe intensifies, Detective Inspector Will Turner finds himself fighting to stay involved in the investigation. The Red River killings hold a personal significance to him and he must be the one to find the killer, although he's determined to keep this from his fellow officers at all costs.