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Murder at the Wedding by Jane Adams
In another entertaining and enjoyable cosy mystery, Rina Martin and her clan of eclectic characters join DI McGregor at the wedding of close friend Bridie Duggan at an isolated island hotel. Some of her former husband’s contemporaries are also invited. Tensions and old family rivalries are causing unease. The day after the wedding, a body is found. McGregor is soon back in work mode. But the foul weather is as much an enemy as the killer, trapping them all on the island. Help from the mainland is delayed by flooding, adding to the tension and unrest. When more shots are fired and another guest’s life is threatened, everyone is on…
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Vicious Crimes by Michael Hambling
It’s been a while since the last book in the series, so I was looking forward to reading this latest instalment. The team are back, led by DCS Sophie Allen, who’s more of a manager than an officer out in the field. Not that she misses a chance to get out there and lead from the front. The investigation begins with a body found in the harbour by a Special Constable. The victim was beaten before being dumped in the tidal river. It looks like he was dumped upstream, but where? The second victim, an artist, lived a life of solitude in a remote house in Exmoor. The team struggle…
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Where the Silent Screams are Loudest by John Pye
When a story grabs you from the first page and refuses to loosen its grip until the last, you know you’ve read something special. This is a police procedural with a difference. Written by a former detective, everything about it has an authentic ring. You feel you are there in the briefing room, or in pursuit of the killer. The level of detail makes all the difference. Nothing is skimped as DS Brennan is tasked with finding whether missing Poppy Hunt is still alive. The review of the case is prompted by eight year old Jason, who bears a striking resemblance to her. He was abandoned as a baby, only…
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Death Sentence by Damien Boyd
Another original and complex murder investigation begins when the body of a Falklands War veteran is found in a pillbox beside a local canal. DI Nick Dixon is soon on the case, but the lack of clues, evidence and motive stifles his inquiries. It’s a slow slog that eventually bears fruit as the death is linked to others, who share a common thread, linking back to the war. From here, Dixon and his team are in a race against time before the killer strikes again. It’s an intriguing mystery, based around events in the Falklands War in 1982. As with previous books in the series, the plot is intricate and…
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On Cold Ground by DS Butler
Is there a serial killer on the loose in Lincoln? When a body is found by DS Karen Hart in the cathedral, there’s a cross carved into the forehead. Then DI Morgan receives a threatening note before another body is found, bearing the killer’s hallmark. Another note suggests the killer is taunting the police. But is it that straightforward? DS Hart is already convinced corrupt officers remain in the force, despite the suspension of one detective inspector. An internal investigation is making slow progress. Karen has suspicions about the new DI, drafted in take control of the murder inquiry. His attitude towards her is abrasive and derogatory. The running corruption…
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Guilty as Sin by Bill Kitson
Another baffling and complex investigation awaits Mike Nash and the team when skeletal remains are discovered by accident in a remote location in the Yorkshire Dales. When another body is discovered close by, Nash wants the whole area scanned for more remains. When more bodies are discovered, it looks like there’s a serial killer on the loose. Attention falls on Demetra Sinclair, who went missing 16 years ago. Has her body been found? Her husband, Nicholas is serving life for her murder, and that of her alleged lover, but protests his innocence. It also looks like he could have killed the others until tests reveal some of the remains were…
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The Chalk Pit by Elly Griffiths
In the ninth novel in the series, archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway, is called to examine some buried bones in a chalk tunnel beneath the Guildhall in Norwich. Are they old bones or more recent? What about the indications that the bones were boiled before being buried? Tests reveal the bones were recently buried, which means a murder investigation for the police. DCI Harry Nelson already has his hands full with two murders, which targeted rough sleepers. When another goes missing, rumours suggest she’s gone underground. But with little to go on, DCI Harry Nelson and his team struggle to make much progress on any of the investigations. Then more bones…
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The Millionaire Murders by Rachel McLean
DCI Lesley Clarke is beginning to question whether she should stay in Dorset as her temporary posting draws to an end. While she enjoys her work and the team around her, there’s the ghost of her predecessor, DCI Mackie, forcing her to confront some unpleasant possibilities. Persistent journalist, Sadie Lawes, is also on the trail, searching for the truth about Mackie’s death. When she disappears, events look like they’re taking a sinister turn. Then there’s a wealthy woman, found dead in her luxury apartment. An unidentified companion is also found dead beside her. With little to go on, the team must dig deep for any leads that could lead them…
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Dead Souls by Angela Marsons
Hold on tight for another nerve-shredding, emotionally draining roller coaster of a story in this original and exciting series. When human bones are unearthed during an archaeological dig, DI Kim Stone has no idea of the horrors that await her. As the site lies on the boundary between two police forces, she’s forced to work with a former colleague and his team. It’s soon clear that these two officers have unresolved issues from the past. While working away, her team begin to investigate a series of hate crimes, encountering prejudices that repel them. Innocent people are being harassed, attacked and killed. Determined to uncover those controlling the violence, one of…
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The Damage Done by James Oswald
There’s much to commend this book, the sixth in a series I’ve found original and intriguing. The writing is good, there’s a real depth to the many characters involved and the mystery is mystifying to say the least. Perhaps best of all, the story highlights the struggles of a conscientious detective, struggling to cope with increasing workloads, management that don’t share his determination or desire to solve a case, and an increasingly complicated private life that invariably suffers. Things get off to a bad start for DI Tony McLean. Following a tip off, a raid goes horribly wrong. Was there a leak from within the police ranks? Or are there…
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Lies of Mine by Cheryl Rees-Price
Lies of Mine by Cheryl Rees-Price This is another original and gripping story in the DI Winter Meadow series, which is one of my favourites. When a body of David Harris is found at Dinas Rock, it has repercussions with a previous murder 16 years ago at the same location. The killer convicted of the original murder of a teenage girl is out on probation. David Harris was present on the day of the original murder, creating a link that cannot be ignored by Winter and the team. Their present day investigation soon expands into a closer examination of the original murder, causing unrest and ill feeling as lies are…
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Dead Level by Damien Boyd
This complex and engaging story begins with the brutal murder of Lizzie Perry, the wife of a leading candidate in a by-election. Is the murder a burglary that went wrong, or is there a political motive? This is the dilemma facing Somerset police. Deprived of the services of DI Boyd, who’s suspended, the team makes little progress. With rivers bursting their banks in a flood, the crime scene is compromised, along with vital evidence that points to a known villain. Forced to release him, he winds up dead within hours, prompting the return of DI Boyd, who offers a fresh perspective on the case. It’s an absorbing story, filled with…