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My review:

This is book number 6 in the Tom Mariner series but the first one that I have read. It works well as a stand alone novel but I now want to read the first 5!

There are 2 strands to this book and twe are left wondering until right at the end the degree to which they are linked. We start with Glenn who has been released from prison and has murder on his mind. Within a few hours, 5 people are dead and he has laid a false trail to avoid capture and is hiding in Wales.

Meanwhile, police detective Tom Mariner has also escaped to Wales following the violent death of the woman he loves. Yet soon bodies are being discovered and Tom is involved in the investigation, both to clear his own name and to protect himself from the killer.

I love that the book kept me guessing until the end, even though we know that Glenn is a killer from the start. I felt that the explanation at the end could have been elaborated slightly more and all the loose ends tied up but that it my only criticism.

The character of Tom is one that the reader can identify with. Although he is a police officer, he is personally involved in the case and trying to use his professional skills to save himself but cannot help digging deeper into the Welsh community and putting himself in danger.

Tom is having a tough time dealing with the break down of his relationship and then the death of Anna so this instantly makes him someone to feel an emotional connection with.

I did enjoy the glossary at the end: many UK phrases and words that I take for granted but that international readers may struggle with. I hadn’t noticed the words’ usage in the book because they seemed natural but it is thoughtful of the author and publisher to include an explanation.

I will definitely be on the lookout for the earlier books and sequels as I enjoyed the narrative structure, language, plot and characters.

Book blurb:

Do you love gripping mysteries with great characters?

Discover Detective Tom Mariner in this critically acclaimed series.

‘Collett is a wonderful writer, subtle, clever, strong on atmosphere and character.’ Yorkshire Post

Detective Inspector Tom Mariner goes to the beautiful Welsh countryside to recover. But he finds himself caught up in a murder investigation . . . with him as the prime suspect.

Grieving the death of his former lover, all Mariner wants is some peace and quiet. But his walking holiday is ruined by the discovery of a body in the woods.

The remote stone farmhouses of this beautiful valley hide many buried secrets.

As more bodies are discovered, can Mariner clear his name and avoid becoming the next victim?

Discover an absorbing crime mystery with an action-packed conclusion.

Perfect for fans of Peter James, Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson. This is the sixth book in the DI MARINER SERIES, more books coming soon!

THE SETTING
Birmingham is a city of stark contrasts with a rich cultural and historical heritage. Playing a key role in the industrial revolution, it helped shape the nation’s manufacturing industry

But with its many green spaces, Birmingham also borders on the beautiful countryside of Worcestershire and Warwickshire, is just a few miles from Stratford on Avon and a short drive from the wild country of mid-Wales.

Birmingham’s population is large and ethnically diverse, and while urban regeneration has forged a modern and culturally vibrant city, the decaying remnants of the industrial past and 1960s concrete jungle give it a unique and gritty character; the dark underbelly policed by DI Tom Mariner and his team.

THE DETECTIVE
Detective Inspector Tom Mariner is, on the surface, an average dedicated policeman, but his experiences as a younger man have given him an insight into life on the dark side, and a clear sense of right and wrong. Mariner has little interest in material things. He lives in a modest canal-side cottage, enjoys the occasional (real) beer and game of dominoes and drives an old car. He is most at home in the outdoors, with an OS map and a compass, and in times of crisis, will take off and walk for miles in any weather.

THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “BLOOD AND STONE.”

DI MARINER SERIES
Book 1: Deadly Lies
Book 2: Innocent Lies
Book 3: Killer Lies
Book 4: Baby Lies
Book 5: Married Lies
Book 6: Buried Lies
Book 7 coming soon

Author Bio:

Chris Collett grew up in a Norfolk seaside town where she worked in a boarding house (now defunct) a local bakery (closed down) and a crisp factory (razed to the ground). Graduating in Liverpool, Chris has since taught children and adults with varying degrees of learning disability, including autism. She is now a university lecturer, with two grown up children, and lives in Birmingham; DI Tom Mariner’s ‘patch’. She has published short stories, teaches creative and crime writing and is a manuscript assessor for the Crime Writers Association.

The first five DI Tom Mariner books will be released in revised editions by Joffe Books in 2017/2018.

Links
Website: www.chriscollettcrime.co.uk

Twitter: @crime_crow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.collett.5477

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