Fortunately i was able to download this book on Kindle Unlimited. I realised too late that i didn't download it here on Netgalley. I hope to read this on KU within the next week or so and shall leave a review there and on Goodreads once finished.

Detective Sophie Allen is looking for a link between crimes from a local prison. Is the death of a retired prison officer and the disappearance of DS Andrea Ford related? Great plot and characters.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for this nice copy.

An absolute must read ……. someone has called an officer, a house is firebombed and an ex prison officer is killed
Detective Sophie Allan is catapulted head first into 1 investigation which rapidly grows and becomes 3

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Shadow Crimes, the seventh novel to feature Superintendent Sophie Allen of the Dorset Police.

When former prison officer Tony Quigley is found dead it is soon confirmed as murder. In the meantime DS Lydia Pillay is investigating an increase in smuggling at the local prisons and discovers that her contact, DC Andrea Ford, has gone missing. It doesn’t take the team long to realise that these events are linked and suspect that something more serious lies behind it.

I thoroughly enjoyed Shadow Crimes, as I have all the previous novels in the series, and it held my attention from start to finish, so much that I read it in one sitting. I love the format which is a straightforward third person narrative told mostly, in various voices, from the investigative perspective. It keeps the reader guessing at what will come and gives the twists more of an impact as there is little prior information about them. I equally love the format of the procedural where the investigative team starts with a few disparate pieces of information or events and slowly narrows in on a solution. It works well in this novel with each team member playing to their strengths to build a cohesive, logical case. There are plenty of twists and action along the way to hold the reader enthralled and itching to know what will come next.

I like the newly promoted Superintendent Sophie Allen. She is a breath of fresh air in comparison with the jaded detectives we normally meet. She has no quirks apart from a healthy like of cask ale and has a happy home life, and, as a result, she is an upbeat character with a can do attitude. She works with a like minded team so it’s a pleasure to immerse yourself in their world.

Shadow Crimes is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Thoroughly enjoyable book. Sophie Allen may have been promoted to, what should be, a desk job, but it hasn't stopped her from getting down and dirty with her staff. She definitely leads from the front. After the disappearance of a plicewoman leads into an ongoing enquiry she's determined to bring everyone necessary to justice, including the elusive brain behind the scheme.

Loved it - but there again - I've enjoyed all Michael Hambling books that I've read.

Two sets of police teams ... two sets of crimes.

Sophie Allen heads up a team that is investigating the death of a retired prison guard. According to his wife, he had been ill for quite awhile. But what Sophie finds is a wife who doesn't seem to sad about hr husband's death and something that tells them he was living far above his means.

Meanwhile, an undercover policewoman has disappeared ... one who has a tie to the prison guard. Connected in any way?

And then there's the case of drugs and phones being smuggled into the local prisons. IS this all connected or just a coincidence? Sophie doesn't believe in circumstance ....

A shadowy group with more influence than anyone suspected will stop at nothing to protect themselves. But who are they ... and how high do they go. Can Sophie trust the very police that she works with?

This is an action-packed page-turner that will keep the reader engaged and enthralled. Never a dull moment when Sophie is on the job. She's a cracker-jack copper with a brilliant mind and what she wants more than anything is justice for the victims.

Although this is the 7th book in this series, SHADOW CRIMES does well as a stand alone. I highly recommend starting at the beginning .. Sophie and her team are terrific series characters.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley / Books n All Promotions / Jill Burkenshaw for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

3 stars

Detective Sophie Allen is looking for a connection between a missing detective and the death of a former (now retired), prison guard. Items are being smuggled into the prisons. How is this happening? Is it connected with the previous events?

This book is a little confused. There seem to be facts included that were superfluous to the story line. While Sophie Allen was a good character and the idea of the story was good also, I didn’t get the sense that the author was going anywhere with the book. I liked the previous books by Michael Hambling and I am not sure what happened with this one.

I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe books for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and enjoy.

Unfortunately, this is an example of a very good plot and very good language being ruined by to much unimportant stuff, too many characters and some bad details. For instance: Some fishermen find a dead body; why do I need to know their relation and what kind of fish they caught? And how can you tell from a crushed finger how many people held a victim down?
This book is for those who just want an easy read to waste some time.

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
Newly promoted Detective Superintendent Sophie Allen is about to get involved in the most difficult case of her career.
There is most likely a link between two cases: one is the murder of a retired prison officer, the other the disappearance of a police officer. She is found in the ocean, obviously having been tortured and then thrown into the ocean in the freezing January cold. Sophie is enraged and determined to get the perpetrator(s). Things are confusing; there is the problem of items being smuggled into prisons: miniature cellphones, drugs and small items that can be fashioned into weapons. Then there is the menacing group of anti-immigration thugs who seem to somehow be involved with the smuggling operation.
This was a good book, I love Sophie as a character, she's a smart, dedicated officer who works extremely hard and has a happy home life, quite a change from the usual loner, angsty detective who has no private life that populate most detective fiction. This is a very well written series and every book in it is a treat to read; it makes you wait impatiently for the next one.