This was a DNF due to pacing. I was unable to get into the characters or the story. Unfortunately this just wasn't for me..

Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to have read this great book.
I have not read any of Chris Collett’s books before, but will rectify that now.
The book starts with a blast (or a bang.... you decide) when it starts with a fire where someone dies.
Its a slow read, but the plot ending was done well and worth your effort.
Recommended.

DI Tom Mariner returns in this crime thriller having to investigate a suspected arson attack on a private home and in an unrelated case, a missing man.

The missing man is due to be married in 2 weeks. So did he get cold feet? Or is there something else at play? Talking to his friends and family, there seems to be no reason. But when they inspect his apartment, they find women's clothing that is way to big to belong to the petite woman he is to marry. So is he involved with another woman?

A house fire took the life of an elderly man. The fire inspectors are having a problem determining whether is was accidental ... or arson. If arson, who would want to burn the residents out? Being of a different religion, the family has been targeted before. Or are they going for the insurance?

Mariner has his hands full, especially as his professional and personal life seem to collide. His brother is in a care home and ill. He and his girlfriend are having a personal issue that neither of them seem to be able to talk about.

There are allusions to previous books, but does well as a stand alone. The characters are well defined. A few surprises pop up here and there that keep the reader compelled to continue reading. This one may be a good series to start from the beginning.

Many thanks to the author / Severn House Publishers / Netgalley for the digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

A Good Death exemplifies everything I look for in a police procedural - a well developed set of investigators who are believable on and off the job, one or more well plotted mysteries, an interesting variety of suspects/supporting characters.  There are three cases in A Good Death: a death that takes place during a house fire, a man who goes missing on the eve of his wedding, and the death of a researcher.  Superficially they are very different, but thematically they go well together.  The results are quite surprising - Collett is good at providing readers with twists.  I liked Constable Kevin "Brown", the new addition to DI Mariner's team.  Despite being almost painfully clumsy, he is dedicated, smart and highly competent.  I hope he has a place in the next DI Mariner novel.

A Good Death is a very human police procedural.  Personal lives affect the professional lives of DI Mariner and his team, and impact how the cases are approached.  It gives the novel a realistic, three dimensional feel.  A Good Death is an appealing police procedural, refreshingly different.  I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys modern British police procedurals.

5/5

I received a copy of A Good Death from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

A Detective Inspector Tom Mariner mystery

DI Mariner is woken in the small hours of a Sunday morning by a tickle of smoke in his nostrils and manages to save a Yemeni mother and her two children from a fiery death but is unable to save her father. The investigation lands on his desk on Monday and him and his team, together with the fire investigation unit work at solving the puzzle of how the fire was started and why.

On top of this a missing person case comes to his desk that may be just a missing person case or could it be more? A man goes missing just days before his wedding, has he gotten cold feet and made a run for it or is there something more sinister to his disappearance?

The book is very well written and I found it impossible to put down. The characters are full of life, diverse and you get to know many surprising aspects of each one, from DI Mariner’s partner, Suzy Yin doing postgraduate work at university; Jaime, his severely autistic legal ward that he is guardian to; Detective Sergeant Vicky Jesson, a single mom of three who manages to balance her family and her police work; Detective Constable Millie Khatoon, returning to work after her maternity leave and Police Constable Kevin Bingley, who is keen, diligent and humble. The two investigations run side by side and piece by piece, using solid detective work, the team solve both cases. The author manages to capture you, pull you into the investigation and keeps you guessing right till the end that you would never in your wildest dreams have imagined. A must read!

Saphira

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.