Book Review: Where the Dead Fall by M J Lee.

I was sent an advanced copy of Where the Dead Fall by M J Lee. With thanks to Author M J Lee and publishers Canelo . This is book 2 in the detective Ridpath series, but it did not matter at all that I had not read book 1. Crime thrillers are my thing, so I was looking forward to getting stuck in to this book.

Description:

One chance encounter, one street side murder, will change everything… The extraordinary new Ridpath crime thriller
Manchester has been at peace for twenty years. Not any more.

DI Ridpath is in the process of getting his life back together when everything goes wrong.

Driving to meet his daughter, he his caught in a horrific motorway accident, in which a near-naked man is rundown by a lorry, while fleeing from a lone gunman. As Ridpath closes Manchester’s road network in search of the assailant, one question remains: why did nobody else see him?

Ridpath’s investigations, which at first seem to follow protocol, soon unearth a number of inconsistencies, which pulls the police force itself into question, and hint at something sinister to come…

For Manchester is on the brink of a fresh surge of violence unlike anything it has seen in decades. As Ridpath battles this unprecedented conflict, he must battle his own demons. One thing is for sure. There will be blood on the streets…

The nail-biting sequel to Where the Truth Lies, M J Lee’s Where the Dead Fall is an absolute must read, perfect for fans of Mark Billingham, Faith Martin and Peter James

My Thoughts:

This is the second book in the DI Ridpath series. I haven’t read the first one and it didn’t matter. In this book, Ridpath is recovering after cancer treatment and so is on lighter duties and has been asked to work at the coroners office instead, much to his dismay. However, the determined detective that he is, can’t stay away from the Major Incident Team. Plus when he is the only witness to see a man with a gun, he is involved automatically.

This book is current and I love that it was based in Manchester and talked about daily conversational things, like the football league talk and Theresa May. Although I enjoy the murders, detective work and the twists and guessing work of thriller novels. In order to bring a book to life, in my opinion the characters need to seem real, and for me that includes life talk, like who will win the football game that the two detectives support. Of course, this also brings major hassles to DI Ridpath, as his decisions involve holding up a traffic jam for 3 hours prior to a major football match! This is also the time when he sees what no one else sees, and brings him slap bang into the middle of a murder….. the problem is, he is the only one that thinks its murder!

DI Ridpath is likeable and a very good detective, but also so infuriating to, as he puts his work before everything which includes his family and his own health. Of course that makes him a great detective but also one full of personal problems.

As the book is based in Manchester, it talks a lot about the gang wars that occured there in the past. The police are majorly concerned that these murders are going to re start what was dubbed as ‘Gunchester’. The detectives talk about finding out the Who, Where and Why of the murders in order to solve the case. I liked that we were totally involved in the way the police worked and attempted to solve and bring to justice the criminals. However what was interesting in the book was the politics and sometimes division between the different branches and levels of police. I think the Author M J Lee has done real and thorough research in order to make this book as realistic but obviously fictional as possible. A talented, clever and imaginative Author. I recommend Where the Dead Fall to all fans of crime thrillers, and especially those who prefer British crime books.

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Links:

www.writermjlee.com

Twitter/WriterMJLee

Amazon.co.uk

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Guest Post: by Sue Webb – Author of ‘Sand in My Pants’

‘Sand in My Pants’ was released on 10th April, 2015. I read this book and really enjoyed it. Before I post my review up tomorrow, I have a guest post from the lovely author Sue Webb for you. 

Sue tells us all about her creation of Sand in My Pants, and why she chose Scuba Diving!

Thank you Sue, and here goes:

The Creation of Sand in My Pants By Sue Webb.

People have asked me, “Sue, what is your book about?

It’s a great question…with no easy answer. Ostensibly, it’s a book about travelling the world, scuba diving. But,really it is more than just that….

I’m sitting on the patio feeling the warm embrace of the sun. The fountain softly gurgles; the mellifluous water compliments the melodic call of a meadowlark, atop an old oak. The faint flittering of a hummingbirds iridescent wings announces its arrival. It suspends itself in air, then dives to-and-fro extracting sweet nectar from its feeder.

The air is freshly scented with the fragrance of spring blooms, most distinctly, hyacinths. This is my world now; the world in my book is a different world.

It’s a world that most can’t relate to. It’s a bigger world- more exotic,lusher, more dangerous, and intriguing. It’s about parts of the planet – most will never travel to or be privy to. Having been fortunate enough to privilege the unexplored and underwater portions of our globe, I felt an obligation to share the beauty, the excitement, the discoveries and a bit of the knowledge I gained along the way.

My husband and I, spent over twenty years, exploring the globe. It enriched our lives in many ways. The places we visited, the people we met, the experiences we shared — all melded together — to provide me with an understanding of life, that otherwise I might have only dreamed of.

Comparing different countries, traditions and cultures proved insightful. Although distinct differences were apparent in people; overall people seemed to be pretty much the same. I saw people laugh and cry; express jubilance and sadness. I witnessed a variety of emotions among people, however their kindness impressed the most.

 I can recall many examples, I will share only a few for now. One rainy day on Tonga, out on a mountain bike ride —or push bikes, as the locals referred to them—we got stuck in mud about a foot deep.

Walking toward us, came a thin woman with two young children in tow. She motioned to them, saying something in Tongan; off the youngsters scampered. They soon returned, each with a stick in their hands. The frail female issued more instructions in Tongan. The young boy and girl, proceeded to use their sticks in an attempt to poke mud out from between the spokes.

As I stood there watching them, I thought, what can I possibly give them in return? I recalled I had stashed an orange pop in my backpack. As I pulled it out, the lean woman’s face lit up. “Never had a bottled soda.” I knew it would be shared.

I learned although we share many similarities as people—we are all individuals. Probably no two people who read my book will come away with the same impression. I wrote about what I found funny, intriguing, or of interest to me. The great thing about a book is, when you open it, you fall into it…and it becomes your world.

So then, I welcome you. Open the cover, and become members of our family. For what I discovered, and you might also after reading my book, we’re all members of the same family- the family of man.

 

 

Sue’s- Why Scuba Dive?

1. 70% of the earth’s surface is water-covered.

2. Diving allows you to meet nice, like-minded people.

3. Gives you an opportunity to travel (to exotic locales).

4. Have a chance to enjoy various types of fresh seafood.

5. Have an opportunity to try unusual foods and experience new cuisines.

6. Provides you with a reason to spend a day outdoors, afloat, working on your tan.

7. Makes for fun-filled vacations with a good-time activity.

8. Allows the chance to observe a silent world of natural beauty, the only sound being the soft gurgle of a regulator.

9. It’s fun- being weightless in the water.

# 10. Schlepping your gear around helps create great muscles!!

Sue Webb. (Author).

Thank you very much to Sue for writing this guest post and explaining to us the thoughts behind her book and her travels.

My book review of ‘Sand in My Pants’ will be up on my blog tomorrow, so keep your eyes out for my thoughts on this marvellous book.