I’m thrilled to be one of the stops on the blog tour for The Silent Dead by Graham Smith and sharing my review today. First of all though let’s take a look at the description for the book…
He’d found an angel for his collection. But one angel at a time was never enough…
Detective Beth Young has just joined the Cumbrian major crimes team when a body is found posed in a ritualistic manner – arms spread and graceful wings attached – at a crumbling castle in the hills of the Lake District.
The entire police force are on red alert. But Beth begins to feel she’s the only one who can follow the disturbing clues left by the twisted killer. Because she doesn’t think like everyone else. To Beth, crimes are puzzles she can solve. Even if real life is a little harder.
As more bodies are discovered in derelict stately homes across the Lake District, she knows she’s in a race against time.
But the killer is looking for another victim to add to his collection… Will Beth be able to save her? Or will he get there first?
A tenacious young detective with scars both physical and emotional, Beth Young will stop at nothing in her fight for justice for the innocent. The Silent Dead is the first book in the series. Set in the Lake District, it is perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, LJ Ross, and Peter James.
Buy Links :
Amazon: http://geni.us/B07H2DG957social
iBookstore: https://tinyurl.com/ydhftyxx
Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/y75k5vng
Googleplay: https://tinyurl.com/ybchbhzl
After reading the description for this book I was instantly intrigued and couldn’t wait to start reading! In The Silent Dead we follow Beth Young a newly arrived detective in the Cumbrian major crimes team and let’s just say her first case is certainly interesting. Providing quite a puzzle for Beth and the rest of the team but will they figure it all out in time?
I thought that the balance between getting to know the characters and seeing the investigation play out was pretty good. I felt like I got to know Beth quite well and I thought that Graham Smith built her character up with care throughout the book. Showing her determination and strength along with a keen eye especially as she has a love of puzzles. Let’s put it this way this case definitely tests her and you get to see how her character thinks but also a little bit of her past which has had an effect on the person Beth is today.
There are a few threads to the story with different view points shown which certainly helped to keep my interest. At times I was left guessing about certain things but I think this helped to keep the mystery going just that little bit longer. Sometimes the pace would be faster and then at other times there would be a slightly slower pace, in a way this added an extra tension as you will wonder what will happen next. Some of the perspectives made me feel right on edge as they provide a much darker and very creepy undertone.
I really enjoyed seeing how the puzzle eventually fit together and seeing the mystery behind the murders being revealed. It was great getting to know Beth along with some of her colleagues and I will be looking forward to catching up with them again in the next book!
With thanks to Noelle at Bookouture for my copy via Netgalley
Graham Smith is the bestselling author of four explosive crime thrillers in the Jake Boulder series, Watching the Bodies, The Kindred Killers, Past Echoes and Die Cold. Watching the Bodies spent over two weeks at number one in the Amazon UK chart and Amazon CA charts. Graham is also the author of the popular DI Harry Evans series and has collections of short stories and novellas. His latest novel – The Silent Dead is published by Bookouture and set in Cumbria / the Lake District, featuring DC Beth Young.
He is the proud father of a young son. As a time served joiner he has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. Since 2000 he has been manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland.
An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, he has also been a regular reviewer for the well-respected review site Crimesquad.com since 2010.
When not working, his time is spent reading, writing and playing games with his son. He enjoys socialising and spending time with friends and family.
Author Social Media Links:
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/grahamnsmithauthor/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/GrahamSmith1972
WEBSITE: https://grahamsmithauthor.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5446655.Graham_Smith?from_search=true
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