This was an amazing police procedural, murder mystery., even involving the Albanian Mafia. Non stop action and unexpected disclosures. Well written story with non stop action and continuous tension. Great read.

This isn't bad but it isn't great either.

A pretty standard police procedural about an assassination, kidnapping and mysterious monkeys... What links two adopted orphans and a murdered architect?

The Body on the Shore could have done with tighter editing, especially concerning the use of commas. Some of it seems a little unrealistic, even allowing for poetic licence. I couldn't really connect with any of the characters, so I wasn't all that bothered by anything that happened, even the big reveal at the end.

Overall, it was good enough for me to want to know what happened but not enough for me to care.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

Well written with a good plot, but felt a bit dragged out in the middle and failed to connect with the main character.

Due to the loss of my kindle I, sadly, was not able to read this book.
I sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.

3.5 Stars from Me

I'll start by saying I haven't read the first book, which may mean I don't have the full grasp of the characters and their history. I'm hovering around the 3.5 stars and I know this book has had a lot of 5 star reviews so I would imagine it is enhanced by reading the previous book and for me it certainly had gripping and unputdownable sections.

The Body on the Shore seemingly follows a few different case including that of a young, successful architect who is murdered while sat at his desk at work. A lot of focus is given to a bus full of school girls as the police attempt to establish the logistics - this felt like quite a big part of the story which I didn't feel added much.  The dead man has an interesting past and suspicion soon falls on another employee.

A parallel story involves a well-to-do (almost too good to be true) family who reside in a manor house in Surrey with their two adopted Albanian children. The mother starts to experience some unusual and disturbing events; a trespasser, graffiti and hanging effigy in their gardens. The mother Sophie initially is taken for a time-waster and there follows a quite comical episode with her neighbour before things take a dark enough turn for DCI Craig Gillard to becomes involved as links start to be made to the murder of the architect.

In an almost surreal turn of events, DCI Craig Gillard heads to Albania where he buddies with an Albanian counterpart and seemingly dices with death on a daily basis getting frighteningly close to the heads of the Albanian mafia. If you put the plausibility to one side this part of the book is really quite fascinating and a very interesting storyline emerges.

I would definitely read another Nick Louth book and hope my review won't put anyone off as all those 5 star reviewers can't be wrong! But for me there were a few slow areas which is why I've gone with 3.5.



Synopsis: A killer is at work in the supposedly-safe commuter belt.  DCI Gillard needs answers, fast...

Promising architect Peter Young is shot dead at his desk. DCI Craig Gillard is quickly on the scene, looking at what appears to be a brutal and highly professional hit: two bullets, fired with ice-cold calm.

Gillard knows that the most crucial question in solving the crime is one word: Why? Two weeks later, on the Lincolnshire coast, another body is found on a windswept beach. In this case there is no identity for the young man, just a curious brand burned into his neck….

As the mystery deepens Gillard is plunged into a case without answers, finding himself up against dark forces, people who believe in only two things: blood and a warped code of honour. This time lives are on the line, children's lives - and his own.

Written at breakneck pace with a jaw-dropping twist you won’t see coming, the suspense-filled second DCI Gillard crime thriller is perfect for fans of Robert Bryndza, Patricia Gibney and Faith Martin.

This gripping story is well written and enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed all the interesting facts that were incorporated along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Plenty of intrigue and mystery in this book and I enjoyed the rather unique angle that was influencing the plot (I won't say too much for fear of giving away spoilers!). I raced through the book and found it really gripping. The twist towards the end was quite shocking and definitely not something i was anticipating. Highly recommended!

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher by the publisher for an honest review. This is the first book of Nick Louth's I have read. It is the second book in a series but it can be read as a stand alone book, there were only a few instances where it went back to the previous book but didn't have anything to do with the current story. The story begins with a murder. Then another body is found and a family has an intruder. At first it isn't clear how they are all linked but as the book progresses we learn about the children's lives before th er y are adopted and how they are liked to the murders. The book was well written and set at a good pace, I really enjoyed the story. It is a great crime read.

What a brilliant novel. At the beginning it seemed like the usual crime novel but it quickly ramped up with some excellent twists and turns. The characters are realistic and I wished I had read the first in this series. However, as a stand-alone the references don’t confuse the reader. As a fan of crime novels I often have the plot worked out half way but not on this occasion. There is a surprising twist in this tale.

This is a Okay thriller.
Unfortunately it does lose its way slightly and I am still unsure about the title.
There are far better thrillers to read.

Late to the party on this one. I’d not previously read any of Nick Louth’s books but that’s soon to be rectified. This is a cracking good read. Set in London and Albania it starts off as a familiar murder who done it but quickly becomes much much more. I knew nothing about Albanian customs so found it fascinating. A brilliant read I’m now off to buy the first one in the series and looking forward to more to come. You know you’re going to enjoy a series when you set up a collection in your Kindle for them

I didn't realise that this bool is the second book in the DCI Gillard series but it was easily read as a stand-alone characters’ backstories are filled in just the right amount.

This is also my first time reading this author and I have to say I am hooked. I have been reading a lot of police procedural stories based in the US so it was nice refreshing change to read one that was relatable based in the UK.

It all starts with a murder - don't they all? A young architect has been shot in his office and there seems to be no actual motive as to why he was targeted. Gillard soon discovers that the dead man Peter, was in fact a refugee from Kosovo who arrived in Britain aged 15 years. His case seems to hit a dead end (no pun intended) until Gillard is called onto a missing persons case - could these two cases be connected? He finds himself travelling to Albania in search of the truth.

This was a great read and I loved the characters and Nick Louth's style, cant wait to read more from him.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I thought the the title of this book sounded intriguing. However I did not really enjoy it very much. it got very embroiled with Albanian gangs and I found some of it quite unsettling. The fact that so many of the cars were "stolen to order" from the UK etc.
However I read it all and learnt some things. However I would not recommend the book particularly. Sorry.

Excellent police procedural, and of course one of my favorite genres! I can't wait for this title to get released on Audible.

I didn't realize this was book 2, so I'll have to go back to read the first one, but this crime thriller featuring DCI Gillard is action-packed, fast-paced, and hard to put down!

The book focuses on police activity and it gives backstory about the Albanians and what's going on between their families, but it doesn't delve into the personal lives of the officers...I think I'd like a little more of that. Going to read the first book now, and can't wait for the next book in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

This is the second book in the DCI Gillard series set in Surrey, but could easily be read as a stand-alone, as it’s a completely separate story and the characters’ backstories are filled in just the right amount. This picks up about two years after the events of The Body in the Marsh, and while that case is referred to briefly at times, the only significant spoiler for it is that Craig is now happily married to Sam.

Craig is assigned the case of a young architect, shot dead in his office. While the man had no apparent enemies, it turns out he came to Britain alone as a refugee from Kosovo at the age of 15, and thanks to some caring foster parents was able to make a success of his life. The case goes nowhere until the wealthy adoptive mother of two Albanian children contacts Craig to report a series of disturbing events around her home. He doesn’t think the cases can be connected until the children are kidnapped. Then a body is found on a remote Lincolnshire beach, who turns out to be a close DNA match to the missing kids. With evidence suggesting the involvement of the worst branch of the Albanian Mafia, Craig must travel there to try and save the children - and himself.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, but the mystery was no surprise. This second book is a much more accomplished thriller and I was shocked by the reveal of the perpetrator. There was lots of interesting information about Albania, a country I knew very little about. I liked Craig better as a hero this time, although could’ve done without reading about him drying his testicles and that his wife likes meat for breakfast. 🤪

I received this free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, but unfortunately didn’t manage to read it in time for the publication deadline, because I got carried away and requested more than I could get through - lesson about limits learned. I also wanted to read the book one first, so had bought that and then got further and further behind... So this was actually published over two months ago - my apologies for this. I look forward to continuing the series.

This was my first encounter with Nick Louth's characters - an encounter that was a little bit curate's egg. The basic plot was, perhaps a little far-fetched and relied on some well-worn stereotypes - Albanian organised crime and the 'is he/isn't he?' questions surrounding the Albanian detective working with the lead character whilst in Albania. However, the early chapters - where the plot was more conventional - were engaging with well-drawn characters and the gradual weaving together of seemingly unconnected crimes. Mr Louth can bring in the inconsequential mundanities that - sparingly used as in this section of the book - give texture and a three-dimensional feel to a story's characters. For this reader at least, the plot began to stray into less credible territory in the later chapters - a not unusual feature of many enjoyable books - but in this case the plot developments that tested the reader's patience and credulity did not add to any sense of enjoyment and led this reader to simply want to get to the end of the book.

I very much enjoyed the first part of the book but found it then dragged in the middle and the end was a welcome sight. There were some unexplained irrelevances eg the South African secretary’s backstory and I find the whole premise of anyone shooting from a double decker bus through a glass window so accurately as to kill someone else if actually laughable.

An excellent crime story, a thoroughly believable and likeable main character, lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing right up until the somewhat chilling end. Heartily recommend. Thank toy Netgalley.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this book early. I enjoyed the character of DCI Craig Gillard so much that I am now off to buy the first novel written by Nick Louth too !
It made a refreshing change that the story moved locations and finally ended up in Albania......the descriptions of the environment and people in this cold, inhospitable place brought a new slant. I hope this will be the second of many encounters with Gillard in the future.

In DCI Gillard, Nick Louth has added another lead character into a massive genre.

This is the second title featuring Gillard and the character's personality is further emerging. I, for one, will look forward to the next few titles that say "Featuring DCI Gillard" across the cover as I think Louth engages and entertains the reader.