I would like to thank Joffe Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Dead Bad’, eighth in the Calladine and Bayliss series and written by Helen H Durrant, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Detective Inspector Tom Calladine finds himself facing corruption charges when a large sum of money is paid into his bank account. During his absence, his sergeant Ruth Bayliss is asked to lead the investigation when a female body is found tortured in a derelict church and another body is found soon after. Added to this, there’s an influx of drugs being sold on the streets causing his team to be under pressure to find who’s responsible.
I’ve enjoyed reading another thriller featuring Calladine and Bayliss, and Detective Stephen Greco makes a short and welcome appearance. The novel is well-written, it has an interesting plot, twists and turns, and the tension builds up effectively leading to a surprising conclusion. The storyline flows nicely making it so easy to read that I’ve finished it within twenty-four hours.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is the eighth in a series and I haven't read any of the others, but this stood fine on its own, (although I suspect it would be a richer experience if you did read the series in order). DI Calladine is kidnapped on his way home from work, leaving the junior members of his team to investigate the gruesome torture and murder of a young woman. The murder seems identical to one committed twenty years ago, but a man who is now dead confessed to that crime. Then the team is forced to take on a second murder and an epidemic of drug dealing.

I enjoyed this police procedural, which moved quickly. I am glad it didn't take Calladine long to be reunited with his colleagues, and the way the loose ends were tied up at the end was impressive. The murders were described with the minimum of detail, while not glossing over the horror, for which I was grateful. The minuscule number of police officers expected to deal with such a variety of serious crimes was perhaps a little unrealistic.

I would be interested in reading others in this series.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Dead Bad, the eighth novel to feature DI Tom Calladine and DS Ruth Bayliss, set in the fictional town of Leesdon, Greater Manchester.

Tom is sent home with shingles, leaving Ruth to investigate a dead body found in a disused church. The unidentified female victim has been dead for a while and obviously tortured before having her throat cut. It reminds team member Alice of a twenty year old case she has been reading about, but with that case solved is it a copycat? In the meantime there is an epidemic of drugs sweeping the area and Tom has to fight to clear his name.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dead Bad which is a fast moving procedural with some surprising twists and turns. There is never a dull moment with something happening in every chapter. I like the way the team start from nothing and work relentlessly towards a very unexpected conclusion. It is meticulously plotted and flows well as every interview adds a little to the bigger picture. There are even some tense moments when Tom has to fight corruption charges that only the brass believe could be true, and that is only the first shock in a novel full of them.

Tom and Ruth are now like old friends so Tom's predicament is upsetting as is Ruth's. Her partner wants her to give up her job and move south with him, she doesn't want to so it's strife all the way. I really enjoyed Ms Durrant's ingenious solution to this impasse. Their close friendship brings a warmth to the novel the subject matter doesn't allow.

Dead Bad is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.