DC Nina Foster

Few kidnap victims grow up to become police officers - but this is exactly what Nina Foster did.

Following a frenzied stabbing she is drafted into her first murder investigation. With former rescuer DCI Stan McGuire as her mentor and John ('Wingsy') Wing as her partner, she thrives on the pace and banter that go with the job.

As the body count increases and the force's biggest-ever manhunt gets underway, Nina is determined to find the murderer. But when the story of her own traumatic childhood comes to light - a past she's worked hard to hide - her role on the team is threatened.

Suddenly her job, her peace of mind and her safety are all in danger. And this time DCI Stan McGuire won’t be there to save her. Fast-paced, and with a shocking twist, this compelling crime debut by police insider Lisa Cutts takes us to the heart of the Major Incident Room - introducing a gutsy new heroine to the crime scene.

Lisa Cutts is the daughter of a former Metropolitan police officer and obtained her first degree in Law before becoming a police officer herself in 1996. She later achieved a second degree in Applied Criminal Investigation. She lives with her husband, a retired Police Officer, in Kent, where she balances working full-time for Kent Police with writing crime fiction.

An extract from Never Forget won the Myriad-West Dean Writer's Retreat Competition in 2012.