I learnt a great deal from this detective story with-a-difference. The crime starts in London and ends in Albania. What I knew about Albania is blurred, but I got a fascinating insight into their history and lifestyle. A little like the GodFather in Italy with their organised crime syndicates. Or the powerful families like the Richardson's and Krays fighting dirty for familial supremacy. Life is cheap, guns are easily accessible, and women are lower forms of humanity. From what I gleaned they are light years off the criteria to qualify for the EU. Peter Young, a young Albanian architect shot on a London street starts the crime journey. Why and how this occurred is the headache of DCI Gillard. At Colsham Manor in Sussex, there are strange symbols distributed - the 3-headed eagle of the Dragusha family in Albania. Sophie and Dag have adopted two Albanian children. In Lincolnshire, an Albanian man is found dead on the beach. What is going on? I must say I liked Dexter the dog - the saliva-splatter analyst. It evoked my concern about the current gangland situations in London. A nail-biting ending. Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo.

A fast paced & thrilling read really enjoyed it. Wish I had read the first one of the series before I read this one will defiantly read more by this author

This is an intriguing and ingenious plot which flows smoothly to an unexpected and sensitively handled conclusion. Don't think you will read a bit at a time over a few days because it won't let you do that! It us very well written with carefully drawn and believable characters. When the story leaves England for Albania, the plot reaches unexpected and brutal heights. That too is very well portrayed and shows serious research. I would not have chosen the title that is used as the body in the shore does not feel central to the story but we can live with that minor reservation!

A routine investigation of a shooting turns out to be far more complicated. DCI Craig Gillard is drawn into a complex web of murders and retribution the extends far beyond the London borough boundaries. Well written, suspenseful and engrossing. I really enjoyed this book with its drama and plot twists right to the closing pages.

Fast-paced and action-filled, this novel races from a perplexing murder in the Surrey commuter belt to a mafia feud in Albania.

Some gritty characters make enjoyable read and with many twists and turns, it keeps the reader on their toes throughout. My only minor disappointment was with the ending, which was a little unsatisfactory in my opinion, but didn’t deter from the book overall.

Fast and furious.

This story is divided into two parts - the first is a police procedural involving two murders and the abduction of two children - the second is a very fast-paced thriller which develops from book one. It is gripping throughout, and full of twists and turns and surprises. To say more could spoil the reader's enjoyment, so do yourself a favour and read it! My only criticism is that it seems a bit rushed at the end and not all the loose ends are tied up, but maybe that is left for the next in the series.

Good story line involving the Albanian mafia and blood feuds...
The title does not really paint the picture of the book. I thought the body on the shore was a minor part of the overall story.

This is a pretty solid police procedural from Nick Louth. I believe it's the second in a series but it worked on its own for me.

An architect with no obvious enemies is shot down in his office. No one knows where the shooter could've been to hit him. At the same time, a young family with two adopted children is being terrorised and they can't seem to get the police interested. Then a body washes up on the shore... The only link between them all is Albania.

And so DCI Craig Gillard treks around the UK and then Albania investigating blood feuds, family links, and how on earth that architect was shot at his desk without anyone seeing on the street outside.

I found the beginning quite dense and hard to get into, but when I persevered the story pulled me along. The author covers a lot of minutiae of the character's lives - going so far practically giving readers a recipe when Gillard is cooking - and there's a lot of throwaway humour in it too. I liked it, but it may not be everyone's cup of tea.

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.

The lead detective DCI Craig Gillard is called in to solve the murder of an architect, found shot at his desk. However, once the investigation progresses, it becomes more complex than a simple shooting and one that involves family feuds, Kosovo - with trips from UK to Albania required.

Overall, it's a good read, although, for me it was too convoluted at times and a bit too James Bond.

3.5 *

Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo for the opportunity to preview this really good read.

Really enjoyed this book. Thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy.
This starts off with the murder of an architect in his office and looks like it is going to be a straightforward police investigation novel. However, it appears that a hitman carried out the shooting and what dark secrets does the victim have in his past? There is then an unexpected turn to involve Albanian mafia and family secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the book, it is very well plotted and written. Kept me guessing until the end. I will seek out the other novels from Nick Louth.

This is such an exciting book, it isn’t at all what I was expecting. It starts off with an architect being shot in his office in London, and then another body is found 200 miles away, but what is the connection?

DCI Craig Gillard has his work cut out, and the only thing the two have in common is their Albanian nationality.

The story runs from the UK to Albania with terrifying moments and you really do wonder who can be trusted. You definitely won’t see what’s coming.

An excellent tale, with thrills all the way. Highly recommended.

Looking forward to the next one.

My thanks to the author, publishers and netgalley for theARC.

This is a brilliant fast paced gripping read. There is so much packed into the plot. The start of the book gives no clue that the Albanian Mafia will have a large involvement in the plot. This is a riveting story with great twists and surprises in the plot. There are a lot of well thought out interesting characters. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

The Body on the Shore by Nick Louth
DCI Gillard #2

DCI Craig Gillard is called in to solve the murder of a young architect killed at his desk. With his team working hard they figure out where the shot was fired from, do the legwork to find out who might have been involved and are lead into a world of the Albanian Mafia and family blood feuds. I have read of such feuds before and find them horrific in that they seem to ascribe to the idea that nobody with a drop of family blood in the family one is feuding with should be left alive…no matter their gender or age or anything else. It seems the only way such a feud can end is with the last one standing on one side or the other being done in, too.

I did enjoy the story but found it a bit hard to believe at times. For the story to happen as it was laid out many factors would need to align perfectly to have the players in the right place at the right time and for all factors to line up as they did. That said, it is fiction and was entertaining and I would read another book in the series. I had not read the first book in the series so am not sure what information I might be missing about Gillard and his team but felt I was able to follow the story without having read book one.

I was unsure whether or not or how often police in the UK might travel to another country when on a case so did search and found that it happens and that there is protocol in place for such international cooperation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

A fast-paced can't-put-it-down thriller/police procedural starting off in the UK then moving to the unusual setting of Albania, with fascinating background and insight into the country's history, geography, struggles with corruption and the notorious Albanian mafia families with their longstanding and intractable blood feuds. In the course of trying to solve two murders and the kidnapping of two young children caught up in the family feuds, DCI Gillard travels to Albania in an attempt to solve the case and track down the children. While there, he stands up against those wanting only revenge, and as a consequence his own life and family fall under threat. All kinds of twists and turns come into play as he tries to find and rescue the children before the enemy gets to them, leading to a denouement that is both shocking yet entirely plausible.

This is a great read with all the ingredients of a good thriller and murder mystery well told. DCI Gillard is a likeable character although I'd personally like to see a little more characterisation of him and some of the main ongoing characters, particularly as this looks like developing into a longer series (this being the second book featuring Gillard). Maybe that will come as the books progress - although to be fair, the storyline was so good that perhaps that's enough all by itself and I'm just looking for icing on the cake!

I'd definitely recommend the book to those who enjoy police dramas with thriller intrigue and unusual twists thrown in, particularly in a little-known setting.

This is the first book I have read by this author and it certainly won’t be my last. Once you get into the characters and story it’s a roller coaster read. When the story switches to Albania you have to keep reading to find out the outcome. I couldn’t put it down.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the advanced read.

This is an absolutely brilliant Police Procedural book .Right from the beginning with the shooting of a young Architect in his office through the head the pace doesn't stop .The story starts off in leafy Surrey but takes us to scary Albania. DCI Gillard flies to Albania in search of answers and finds a very scary Mafia type gang who are hell bent on revenge with another gang .There are lots of thrills ,intense moments shocks and a cliff hanging ending .I would give this book 10 stars if I could.This is the second in the DCI Gillard series I haven't read the first book but I am definitely going to now and can't wait for the next book in the series to be out .Many thanks to the Publisher ,The Author and NetGalley for the review copy in return for an honest review.

This book was just brilliant, I genuinely couldn’t put it down! The intricacies of the Albanian Mafia wouldn’t necessrily be my thing, but this was fascinating and full of twists and turns. It gripped me from the word go and I enjoyed the way the book was split into two, the first part being set in the UK and the second in Albania. This is my first Nick Louth book but I will definitely search out his other novels.

Many thanks for my ARC. This starts out as a standard police procedural then becomes about Albanian 'blood' wars. The identity of the killer is faintly unbelievable and the book reads like it's been written to propose a film, rather than a good read. Well written plot wise, but rather 2 dimensional characters. I'm sorry, it just ended up being something other than the book I hoped it would be.

Brilliant story kept me hooked from the first to the very last page touching on the vendettas of immigrant communities and their sense of honour, justice and life.

Thoroughly enjoyed this page-turner.
Fast paced , starting in Surrey and taking us to Albania. Edifying as well as atmospheric. Highly recommend and thank you Netgalley & Carnelo for the opportunity of reading a novel by this author. Won’t hesitate to read another.