Had me gripped from start to finish, read in one evening. Would give more stars if able to, a definate 10 out of 10

DCI Cyril Bennett has taken some time off as his father has recently died and despite not being close he has things to sort out both physically and mentally.. Meanwhile in his patch a man is found dead in his car and the pathologist doesn’t have enough evidence either way to say if it is suspicious or not. When another man is found in similar circumstances and objects are found that didn’t belong to the man, it puts a different light on things- but how on earth were they killed? I love Cyril- he has that demeanor of being a hard worker, a sense of humour and very trustworthy- someone you wouldn’t mind as a neighbour and friend whom you know would be on your side in a flash if needs be. To me crime books need that background of characters so that they are not “just about the job” and Malcolm always does this so very well. Cyril and his team come alive on the pages and the snaps of background give them that reality factor. This is book 7 of the series and will happily stand alone- then again why miss out on other wonderful reads? A very cleverly thought out plot, I won’t give anything away other than to say I learnt something scientific as I was reading. Another brilliant read from Cyril and Malcolm, I very much look forward to the next one.

This book gives you a comfort blanket a cup of hot chocolate and says get comfy and we will start. Having read others in this series I was thrilled to get to review this latest addition.
The author weaves a great storyline that twists and turns, keeping you interested at every turn of the page. He has built a team of lead characters that are not only believable but make you part of that team.
Should you be new to this series there is enough detail of the leads detectives back story to let you just jump in and enjoy, for those returning readers you get more of an insight into how he's evolved into the man he is today.
The plot revolves around an unusual method of committing murder that I've never read before but the author doesn't overwhelm you with that much technical detail you feel you want to skip parts as its too onerous, yet he gives you enough to paint you a detailed overview.
A wonderful read that takes you on a gentle meandering journey to the truth which you reach with a sense of satisfaction .
Perfect reading if you like a more gentler murder mystery.

This is the seventh book in the DCI Cyril Bennett series and Malcolm Hollingdrake has done it again. A cleverly crafted crime thriller with a really fresh idea for the plot.
Whilst Cyril is away at his fathers funeral DS Owens is called to a death which seems to present itself as natural causes. Owen is not so sure and when another death occurs he approaches Cyril, now returned, for his thoughts on the coincidences between the two.
Cyril never a believer in coincidence decides to look closer at the deaths. Definately suspicious!
The investigation unfolds, sharing details of the methods used by the killer and Cyril and his teams efforts to apprehend him.
An intriguing tale that kept me gripped right till the end.
An excellent read, I highly recommend this and the rest of the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloodhound books for the chance to read this as an ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for this arc.

I have not read any of the previous DCI Bennett books in this series so perhaps that is shading my review somewhat not having the full backstory on the various members of the police team. The story was fine, just the pacing was start, stop, start, slow down, stop... very choppy feeling. Almost like anytime the tension started to go up a notch, it was time to take a nap. I found that frustrating, but it doesn't seem like anyone else noticed it.

The method used by the killer was certainly one I've never read about before and fascinating. It was obviously well researched, but the repetitious detailing felt condescending. Also irritating was the writer's habit of telling instead of showing or showing and then telling! But there was a lot more telling than showing. Made it hard to connect with any of the characters. DCI Bennett felt like a real cold fish to me all the way through despite his dealing with his father's death and his relationship with Julie. The obsequious way the rest of his team (with the exception of Owen) displayed left me thinking that he really needed to look at his management style. Overall the victims felt "realer" to me than the police.


Overall not a bad read, but more like a snack in that it just wasn't as satisfying as I hoped for.


2.5 stars rounded up.

I must have read hundreds of crime thrillers but never one with this M.O. The first death is thought to be of natural causes as there is nothing pointing to anything more sinister, then another death occurs and once again it's thought to be natural causes. The detective in Cyril seems to think otherwise and when he realises there is a connection with the victims he is even more convinced all is not what it seems. Throughout the series there are snippets of information on the main character's backgrounds and personalities, Cyril still remembers Liz with great affection but April the new member of the team is definitely gaining his respect. Owen the detective sergeant is one of my favourite characters, he comes out with some real pearls of wisdom, sometimes Cyril has to put him straight and other times he just lets them pass. I loved the part where Owen is cleaning his computer keyboard the descriptions are humorous and spot on to how I imagine him.

This is the weakest book in the series so far. It all seemed a bit disjointed and unbelievable. Quite often I had to go back and reread parts to try and understand what was happening.

DCI Cyril Bennett rides again....

I really enjoyed this sixth book in the DCI Bennett series. The book begins with Bennett taking a short leave of absence for his father’s funeral, but it’s not long before he’s back to work dealing with a murderer with a quite unusual modus operandi.

Clear and well written as ever, with all the usual Bennett peculiarities, the art, the black sheep, etc.

I can’t wait for the next one,

I think this has to be one of the best in the series, so well thought out, and a few red herrings! A real cracking tale. I did think I’d sussed it, but I was wrong this time.

The story starts off with Cyril going to his dads funeral and whilst he’s away a man dies, in his car, and the first signs look like a natural death, but then another similar one occurs and this time there are doubts.

Cyril returns sharpish to the fold, but this case is not an easy one to solve. I just love Owen and his mess, some people are just like that. I think this is a very good team, with little interference from the hierarchy, which allows the officers to get on with their jobs.

I’m looking forward to book 8.

My thanks to Malcolm, and Netgalley for the ARC.

I am a massive fan of this author’s works and when I saw that he had released another book in the DCI Bennett series I knew that I had to get myself a copy!!

I was really looking forward to getting started on the book and the blurb had me hooked – it has the great characters that I have come to know and love and I am really warming to April, my favourite still has to be Owen, his character genuinely makes me smile!

I started reading the story the weekend it landed on my Kindle – and I will be honest, it is an excellent story and had me hooked right from the off!! It has a great plot, is well planned out, there was enough in the book to throw me off my thought process when I thought I knew who was responsible and I was gripped right to the end. I devoured every page and I loved the teams fight to try and get the case resolved. I do love a good ending and this one was excellent!

Another 5 stars read for me – very, very highly recommended and I am really looking forward to seeing what he releases next, another fabulous addition to the DCI Bennett series!!

This is the seventh book in the DCI Bennett series. . In this book, DCI Bennett has gone away to attend his fathers funeral. During his trip away, a man is murdered in the flat above the bar he runs. Very quickly, another death occurs, which is put down to natural causes, but DS Owens has a feeling that something is wrong. Once another death occurs, which again, looks like natural causes, both Bennett and Owen look further into the deaths, as they feel the coincidences in the 2 deaths is not normal at all.
As the cases are looked into, Bennett realises there is a lot more to them than meets the eye. I have to admit that I did have an initial groan when I realised science was a major factor in this book. I should have known better, the author somehow manages to actually explain it all so that it makes sense! Bennett and the rest of the team certainly have their hands full with the crimes in this book. It was lovely to see Bennett more settled in his private life in this book, and to see him able to overcome the hurdles he faced with his step mum and his deceased father.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the next in the series. I would highly recommend this book, it’s an absolute belter!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bloodhound Books for an advance copy of The Third Breath, the seventh novel to feature DCI Cyril Bennett of the Harrogate police.

Bennett is attending his father's funeral when bar owner David Stephens is found dead in his car. DS Owens is in charge and he is reluctant to accept the verdict of natural causes, not for any explainable reason, just instinct. When another man dies in similar circumstances Bennett, who doesn't believe in coincidence, starts to investigate seriously.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Third Breath which is a light read with some good twists. It held my attention throughout although I must admit to getting lost in some of the technical detail as science is a closed book to me. The novel has dual points of view, both Bennett and the unnamed killer, which gives the reader insight into the killer's method and actions and keeps them marginally ahead of the police. Fortunately this point of view is not overly intrusive as both his identity and motive are well concealed, maintaining both the suspense and the reader's curiosity. I found myself racing through the pages to find out what it's all about and while the journey was intriguing, well plotted and unusual I found the ending a bit abrupt, leaving me wanting a fuller explanation.

Cyril Bennett is becoming a well loved character as the series progresses. He is settled in his personal life with his partner Julie, having made his peace with his estranged father and stepmother. He is rather more highbrow than the average detective with an interest in art and culture, rather than television (he doesn't own one) and technology. This makes him seem like an intellectual snob, and in some moments he is but mostly he's down to earth with a sharp mind and a good line in subversive thought.

The Third Breath is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Bennett is back with a bang!

What a great story, it was thrilling, captivating and had me gasping in places. I mean seriously, who thinks this stuff up! I would love an imagination like Malcolm Hollingdrakes!

Cyril's got some personal issues going on in this book with dealing with the death of his father, despite this he manages to keep his head in the game, with the trusty DS Owen at his side they work together to crack the case. I like Bennett and Owen as a team they are like chalk and cheese but somehow gel.

This is a great series of books and I was really looking forward to this one, it didn't disappoint it was exciting, full of suspense and twists and had me reading late into the night unable to put the book down at bed time. It was a really engaging book which I thoroughly enjoyed.

This was a great book and is totally worthy of 5 stars!

Another good installment of this series. They're a bit less thrilling than my normal crime reads but are sometimes just what's needed!