Some of the Best Crime Writing Around - Rated 
A newspaper and magazine journalist for over 25 years, Stephen Booth was born in the English Pennine town of Burnley. He was brought up on the coast at Blackpool, where he began his career in journalism by editing his school magazine and wrote his first 'novel' at the age of 13.
Stephen gave up journalism in 2001 to write crime novels full time. He and his wife Lesley live in a former Georgian dower house near Retford, Nottinghamshire, in Robin Hood country.
Derbyshire police are in a quandary. Is the anonymous caller who taunts them with an imminent killing just a hoaxer getting kicks from the calls he makes or is he for real. He is certainly very graphic in his macabre calls with descriptions of both death and decomposition, but anyone could read about that in books. Maybe it is just someone's sick fantasy. Can they afford to take the chance.
After listening to the voice, so calm and controlled Detective Diane Fry is convinced that this is no sick, time waster, but a real killer and one who enjoys telling the police what he is going to do next. Challenging them to stop him before it happens.
Some of the Best Crime Fiction - Rated
A newspaper and magazine journalist for over 25 years, Stephen Booth was born in the English Pennine town of Burnley. He was brought up on the coast at Blackpool, where he began his career in journalism by editing his school magazine and wrote his first 'novel' at the age of 13.
Stephen gave up journalism in 2001 to write crime novels full time. He and his wife Lesley live in a former Georgian dower house near Retford, Nottinghamshire, in Robin Hood country.
Derbyshire police are in a quandary. Is the anonymous caller who taunts them with an imminent killing just a hoaxer getting kicks from the calls he makes or is he for real. He is certainly very graphic in his macabre calls with descriptions of both death and decomposition, but anyone could read about that in books. Maybe it is just someone's sick fantasy. Can they afford to take the chance.
After listening to the voice, so calm and controlled Detective Diane Fry is convinced that this is no sick, time waster, but a real killer and one who enjoys telling the police what he is going to do next. Challenging them to stop him before it happens.
Superb, Intelligent Mystery - Rated
I was very intruiged to read the synopsis of 'The Dead Place'on Amazon here. It sounded precisely the kind of mystery I like, and as I hadn't read anything by Stephen Booth before I thought I would give it a try.
I have been disappointed by a lot of crime writers for a long time - poor and contrived plots, and subplots; ludicrous, shallow characterisation; endings which make you wish you hadn't bothered wasting the time involved getting into the book; and increasing wariness (and cynicism) at overfabricated 'blurbs'. To be honest I was quite prepared not to expect very much.
But I was genuinely delighted by this book. A modern mystery with an old fashioned sense of place. There is real craftsmanship here. Booth provides an intellectual edge to the puzzle - and one learns a lot about the funeral business, both ancient and modern, to boot. The characters of Fry and Cooper aren't immediate - you realise it is a series - but by the end you want to know more about them.
'The Dead Place' became quite unputdownable. A satisfying, powerful, and at times surprisingly mystical, crime thriller. I am now going to get all of his remaining books. Can't wait.
Developing into one of the best.... - Rated
Although slightly formulaic - lovely rural location, (in this case the Peak District), male and female "team", bosses too worried with internal politics etc etc, this series is developing onto one of the best. The writing is very good, character development continues with each book, and the plots are clever without being obtuse.
The Dead Place is an unusual story, perhaps rather far fetched, but the writing is good enough that you really don't notice anything unlikely until well after you have reached the very satisfactory conclusion. The plot development is very pacy and this is the most "unputdownable" of the series so far.
I suspect that, because the characters have developed so well over the last few years, it would be best to read the series in chronological order in order to get the full effect.
Darkness and Intrigue! - Rated
I know full well, that the title of my review sounds like an ad for a brand of choc ice, but please rest assured dear readers that this novel is nothing even remotely similar to anything nice and tasty! But it is infact, very dark and full of intrigue. It is one of a series of the Peak murder mystery series featuring detectives Diane Fry and Ben Cooper. It is the first of the series that I have read. Although the first novel (Black Dog) currently sits upon my bookshelf unread I was immediately attracted to this one. The story is based upon a series of murders within the Derbyshire Peak District and a quite complicated investigation carried out by the aforementioned detctives and their team. If you really do like a bit of morbidity and you are not afraid to delve into the daily workings and the 'goings on' in the funeral parlour and crematorioum industry then this novel will be right up your street! To give you an idea of the subject matter, by chapter two alone we are already onboard with two undertakers as they proceed to perform a 'removal' (collection of a recently deceased person). All the gory details are provided even to the extent of the procedures which are undertaken within the 'cremation suite'.
I did find the investigation side of things a bit on the heavy side but then thats me, not the book. Those of you who like a good puzzle will appreciate that. I also enjoyed the characters involved not only the Detectives but also the characters that we happen upon as the investigations proceed.
Whilst primarily very dark throughout there are also one or two rays of sunshine where Mr.Booth does demonstrate that he can easily and skilfully inject some humour. Not to forget of course the wonderfull descriptions of the wild but beautiful peak district. Oh and by the way, the book does include some very grizzly websites including something called the Deathclock which following the input of some of your personal details will predict how long you'll live. What more could you ask for?! Enjoy the book!
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