The first thing that hits you when you read the opening lines of Altered Life, is the fact that it is in the First Person. This of course is the standard format for the genre; ie, Crime / Detective / PI stories; but it has rarely been accomplished well since the days of the famed Raymond Chandler; well that is not the case here I am delighted to say, Keith manages to put First Person back up where it belongs, on top of the pile, due to his great forte for the style as shown here.


Minus the seedy monologues involving dames and broads and neon lit corner diners providing the only light on dark rainy nights, Keith Dixon stoutheartedly keeps the style of delivery firmly on this side of the Sargasso, and makes the first person narrative style all his own. Altered life is a tale of a private investigator, Sam Dyke, who is asked by a management consultant, Rory Brand, to investigate his beliefs that someone is trying to scupper his business and steal new software related to the still burgeoning Human Resource culture-monster which is engulfing all aspects of Personnel and Recruitment in both the private and state sectors in all countries where paint bombing and away-days are King.


The story has a surprising very early twist and this then really sets the scene for the rest of the tale; so much so I cannot relate it here as it would be a Class 1 Spoiler. But, the combination of A1 narrative and dialogue, the totally believable characters, and the tense situations punctuating the overall plot, make this a great story by a great writer. Keith once won an award for one of his earlier offerings, let us hope he repeats this achievement with - Altered Life. Well done, Keith, here's to your next offering.

What I liked about Keith's character, Sam Dyke, was his undeniable charm and sharp wit. He's a man of few words and gets his point across in memorable syllables. As I read the novel, I was always pleased as I imagined how the character receiving those syllables might look afterwards.
Keith's plot holds suspense, humor, romance, mystery, and I guarantee you'll want to keep turning the pages to read how it's going to end. He has catchy quotable lines and an enviable way of describing scenery in and around Crewe.
Having read Altered Life a few months ago, I still find pleasure in opening the cover time and again. And one particular chapter holds a taste of desire you won't want to miss.