A very different and unexpectedly transcontinental crime novel. I felt many of the characters lacked depth and personality. Intriguing but far from outstanding

Wow brilliant read, most definitely a book to be read, Nick Louth certainly knows how to keep you hooked, it’s a really excellent crime book, one I am glad not to have missed. Unfortunately I do not ever give a spoiler to any book. You really really just have to read it, you will not regret it

So twisted and clever! This story keeps you on tenterhooks as the story takes different turns and you just don't see everything you need to! Gripping!

This is the second of Nick Louth’s novels to feature DCI Craig Gillard of the Surrey police.

DCI Gillard is investigating the shooting of architect Peter Young. He had been shot in his office from outside the building. Then another body is found also shot on a remote Lincolnshire beach with similarities to Peter Young's death to link them both.

The Body on the Shore which is a fast paced thriller with never a dull moment and a few twists to keep it interesting.

Gillard is a well rounded character and Is married to the understanding Sam and he has the time and ability to work alongside the Chief Constable, Alison Rigby, albeit with as lightly strained relationship. He puts his heart and soul into investigating the case and at times puts himself in danger. Exhilarating stuff..

I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

Very good. I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the main characters and the locations were very well described. It was definitely a different type of crime novel that felt fresh.

So we start off with the murder of a young architect at his desk in London which is excellent, and the book has a really cracking ending. I am still unable to see what value was added to having a body on a shore in Lincolnshire, but the book's ending is really good and well described.

DCI Craig Gillard has to deal with all this, and for me the book really comes alive with his trip to Albania. Their culture of gangs certainly has parallels with the Mafia but luckily for Craig he manages to recruit a 'friendly' Albanian policeman.

Bodies everywhere, child abductions all feature heavily, but are well wrapped up in the end.

Not sure what the Albanian Tourist Board would make of this novel?

This book was not what I expected – it was so much more. The Body on The Shore follows the case of a successful young architect who is murdered whilst sat at his desk. The shot clearly came from outside the office where he works but the police are baffled as to how the shot was taken, particularly where from. They are also at a loss to find a motive and struggle to discover anything about the victim’s past. Having arrived in the UK as a refugee from Kosovo and lived with a foster family he had led a good life and lived with his wife and two small children.

Meanwhile, a family living in a manor house in Surrey start to experience some very disturbing events at their home; trespassing, graffiti and break-ins and the appearance of hanging dummy in their grounds. The mother Sophie is desperately protective of her two adopted Albanian children and has to fight to get the police to take her seriously. It is not until Craig Gillard becomes involved in their case that links start to be made to the death of the architect and another in Northern England.

The story evolves into the most incredible and shocking investigation that takes Craig to Albania and frighteningly lose to the Albanian mafia. It becomes a white knuckle ride in his race against time and the most brutal of enemies and is utterly compelling. The author takes us on a journey into a culture I knew nothing about and the result is a fabulous book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I hadn’t read the previous book in the DCI Craig Gillard series but don’t feel that caused any issues in me fully enjoying this book. It is definitely one I recommend. Be warned – everything else in life may take a back seat whilst you read this one!

My thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of #TheBodyOnTheShore in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed the first part of this book, but when the action moved to Albania I found it becoming more and more far fetched. The author’s excellent use of descriptive language brought the story to life.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book by Nick Louth.
The story travels from the UK to Albania and winds its way through murders and kidnapping via the Albanian gangs. The main characters are believable and likeable although I'm not too convinced by the senior police woman in the story.
If starts with the shooting of an architect at his desks then moves to the kidnapping of two children who are seemingly unconnected to him. From there to Albania about which country I learned some interesting facts. The twist to the story was unexpected, altogether a good read and I'm going back to read the previous book featuring Craig Gillard, which I guess is a good recommendation!

This gripping novel explores the country of Albania, it's customs and history. That in itself is interesting and certainly makes for a great read, I felt that I actually learnt quite a lot about the mafia like ways in Albania.

This is a really good police procedural drama. It's the second in a series, but, despite not having read the first, I didn't feel that detracted from the story or characters.

DCI Craig Gillard is the main investigator in this book and has a reputation for getting things done. His wife Sam, also a policeman, is wise to the dangers in his job. The characters are very likable and work well together.

A really good story with three seemingly unconnected crimes, a good twist and enough detail and intrigue to keep you guessing.

A well written, fast paced and action packed story! A great sequel to the first and I look forward to many more adventures with DCI Gillard

A story of two halves. DCI Craig Gilllard starts in England and then has to travel to Albania to search for murderers in the Albanian mafia, Great story, with twists and turns and a surprising end.

This was an excellent read, the first part, Book 1, was intriguing and hooked me in very quickly. It then took a completely unexpected twist when it reached Book 2, and Detective Gillard travelled to Albania to try to unravel the very complex mystery, stumbling into a very dangerous viper’s nest of Mafia grudges and organised crime as he did so. The small insight it gave the reader into this hitherto unknown world was fascinating. It clearly must have necessitated a great deal of research into Albania and its murky underbelly. It was fast paced and exciting, though I have to say I was slightly disappointed with the somewhat abrupt ending, hence 4 stars not 5.
However, I would heartily recommend this book, as it was a refreshing departure from the usual ‘whodunnit’ storylines. The characters were well drawn, and the narrative was pacy and exciting, I didn’t want to put it down.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
I will definitely be reading more of this author’s work.

This, the second in the DCI Gillard series finds the team investigating the death of Peter Young, an up and coming local architect. Although this is the first murder it is by no means the last and following the trail DCI Gillard quickly finds himself embroiled in a case that leads him to Albania, the mafia and the endangerment of all he holds dear.

There’s a lots to applaud in ‘The Body on the Shore’, it’s a great storyline that grips from the get go, it’s fast paced, packs a punch and the perpetrator- well I didn’t see it coming.
The reason I didn’t give it a higher rating was I felt the writing let it down slightly, for example - I didn’t just want to be told ‘such and such’ was horrified, I wanted to experience it through the dialogue, how did she show she was horrified, was she hiding it, if so, how did she hide it? So, work to do but a solid base to build from, I’ll be interested in what Nick Louth comes out with next.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, I have to admit a small bias as this book is set in Surrey and Albania and, as I know both areas, it added to the picture that this book painted in my mind's eye.

Having said that, I would have enjoyed this book enormously even without that context. An excellently written mysterious crime novel with some excellent twists and turns that had me compulsively turning pages until the very end. Have no idea what is in the author's head but I can see the possibility of a sequel because there are so many hooks to hang that sequel on.

Please don't misunderstand me, this book stands alone and is a first rate piece of writing. If you want a book that draws you in and just will not let you go until its last word, this is going to be the book for you.

The Body on the Shore starts with the murder of architect Peter Young, found at his desk having been shot through his office window. DCI Gillard is trying to figure out who is behind this professional-looking hit when he is contacted by Sophie Lund, a mother of two adopted children, who is being harassed in an increasingly bizarre campaign of incidents around her home. Then another body is found - this time on a Lincolnshire beach, with a brand burnt on his neck - the same symbol that has been found on the Lund's property. Shortly after, Sophie's children go missing, and DCI Gillard, convinced the cases are connected, finds himself up against powerful, violent forces, desperate to save the children's lives - and his own.

I mentioned in my review of The Body in the Marsh how much I enjoy Nick Louth's writing style. The dialogue is believable and realistic, while the storylines are cleverly introduced in a way that gets your brain ticking but doesn't have a hint of predictability. There is a definite complexity to the way Louth writes and leaves you slowly beginning to see the plot winding together. For this book though, I honestly did not see where it was going (and that's all I'll say for fear of spoilers!). For something so intricately written, it is joyously easy to read, and I found myself more engaged with this book than any other crime book I've read recently.

Nick Louth also seems to pick his settings very wisely. The story begins in London but makes its way to Albania. Although I've never been there, it was perfectly described and felt very authentic. There was clearly some excellent research put into this book, which helped it retain its believability and uniqueness. The settings used definitely added some tension and atmosphere to the whole storyline, and I love when that is the case.

My one tiny complaint about this book is that there is occasionally some slightly weird dialogue. I totally understand that it's meant to represent the institution of the police and their not-entirely-PC ways of talking or thinking, but there was the use of a homophobic term, and the repeated use of the term 'jail bait' to talk about teenage girls which just felt really jarring with the rest of the book. Neither was really in keeping with the rest of the book so those things have really stuck with me, which is a shame as it probably isn't what the author intended.

Overall though, this is a dramatic, gripping novel that I really enjoyed reading. I found myself falling deeper into it with every page, becoming more and more engaged with the investigation, and the action doesn't let up. A highly satisfying (and unpredictable!) ending makes this one of the best crime books I've read so far this year.

This was a great book and I was never sure where it was going. It was very easy to read and flowed smoothly regardless of which character the focus was on. I would certainly recommend this book and author to others.

DCI Gillard, called in to investigate the strange murder of Peter Young - a bright London architect, soon discovers that the victim has a “past life”. The mystery deepens when he is sent to look at another body, with similar gunshot wounds, found on a remote east coast beach. Between the two murders he becomes embroiled with Sophi Lund and her two adopted Albanian children. Living on a remote estate they have all become frightened by what appear to be weird objects and sightings and the feeling that they are being almost stalked. When the children are abducted Gillard’s search leads him to Albania and into grave danger as he becomes entangle with rival Mafia-type gangs. A truly gripping, fast paced novel and a great read.

When architect Peter Young is shot dead at his desk in what looks like a professional hit, DCI Craig Gillard must try to discover not only how it happened but, more importantly, why. Several hundred miles away, on the Lincolnshire coast, another body is found, this time with no clue to his identity. How are the two deaths connected and how do they link to a feud that threatens to become even more deadly than Gillard could ever imagine?

The Body on the Shore is the second book in the DCI Craig Gillard series, but it is not essential to have read the first as this can be read as a standalone. I do now, however, want to go back and read the first one, The Body in the Marsh, as this was a book I really enjoyed.

The Body on the Shore is a book full of twists and turns which takes you in directions you did not imagine. Initially, it felt like that it was going to be a straightforward police procedural – body is found, police investigate, culprit is arrested. I could not have been more wrong! While there is definitely an element of this, there is so much more!

It is difficult to say too much without giving away any of the plot and, therefore, spoiling the element of surprise, but what I will say is that The Body on the Shore deals with multiple cases, each one linking together in a highly imaginative way. Murder, abduction and subterfuge abound, making for an original story that kept me hooked until the very end.

DCI Craig Gillard is a great lead character and I was pleased that, although we read a bit about his personal life, this was only a minor part of the story, the focus being placed firmly on the investigation. Hardworking and tenacious, he is definitely the sort of detective I would want working on any case I was involved in!

The Body on the Shore is a brilliant, fast-paced read. Highly recommended!

What started out as distinctly average, littered with seemingly irrelevant details to need it out a bit, ended up being a gripping page-turner. This would have made a great BBC crime drama! Several stories weave in and out and finally come together with a brilliant twist.