When a Chinese woman is found with her throat slashed in an Immigration Centre it is assumed that she committed suicide while awaiting deportation. After examining the evidence Mrs Margaret Challinor (Coroner) calls in her officer DI Ridpath to investigate as everything just feels wrong. The more Ridpath investigates the more questions arise and the inquest is to be held in a few days so time is running out.
The more I read from MJ Lee the mre I get drawn into the lives of Ridpath and co. . A totally enjoyable read with many twists and an unexpected conclusion.

I couldn't put this book down. I have enjoyed every book in this series and this was another excellent installment. Excellent cast of characters that you have gotten to know as the series goes on and this book had a surprising end - you don't know who did it until the last few pages. Highly recommended
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy

The fourth in the DI Ridpath series, Where the Innocent Die manages to be an easy read and thought provoking at the same time. A detainee dies while awaiting deportation and noone seems to care. The initial investigation is sloppy with all concerned too ready to accept is just another suicide (and how can that even be acceptable?).

The Coroner, Mrs Challoner is having none of it. She wants it properly investigated and she wants it done so the girl's parents can take her body home in five days time. DI Ridpath is still with the Coroner's Office as he recovers from cancer so it falls to him to marshal the necessary resources and negotiate the obstacles commercial enterprise and government bureaucracy conspire to put in his way.

This is a page turner that puts a human face on news headlines that have become all too familiar.

ARC courtesy Netgalley

Well M J Lee has excelled himself once more and written a gripping and compulsive book four in the excellent DI Thomas Ridpath series and this one is again a 100% winner, I really loved it.
This is a very topical story starting with a suspected suicide of a female Chinese immigrant in an immigration removal centre and Ridpath goes to investigate as part of the coroner’s team but things just aren’t adding up and he begins to suspect all is not as it seems. From then on in it’s a race against time to find out more as the inquest is just a few days ahead and things start to hot up as the case becomes much more complicated. This is such a well written book and I just adore Ridpath he really is one of my favourite characters and every book so far has been a such a pleasure to read and I could harp on and on about just how real these books feel but rather than that I would just say read them all it’s a brilliant series and I now am eagerly waiting for the next one as I need to know what is going to happen !!!
So heaps of praise to MJ Lee and a massive thanks for writing such a joy of a book and giving me so much pleasure in reading it.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Canelo for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of Where The Innocent Die, the fourth novel to feature East Manchester’s Coroner’s Investigator DI Ridpath.

Mrs Challoner, the district’s Chief Coroner, is unhappy with the paucity of information and investigation into the death of Wendy Tang at a local Immigrant Removal Centre. She asks Ridpath to investigate further but with the inquest looming and a lack of cooperation at the centre it’s a daunting task.

I thoroughly enjoyed Where The Innocent Die which is an urgent read that throws light on an under discussed subject, namely the plight of illegal immigrants. The novel is told from various points of view, mostly Ridpath’s, but it never drops a hint about the perpetrator or the motive and I couldn’t guess. I was surprised in a good way as I thought the solution was quite clever. I found the plot to be engrossing and compulsive but I always think that about Mr Lee’s work and he has become a must read author for me. It starts with an assumed suicide but a careful re-examination of the facts rules that out. It then becomes a who, why and how so the attention switches to the supposedly secure Removal Centre. The novel doesn’t dwell on fate of the refugees but prefers to concentrate on the politics of it. It’s not heavy but makes its points clearly. These points are a small part of a tense procedural, the sense of urgency is palpable and creates the atmosphere, which is full of twists and turns, most of which I didn’t see coming.

I really like the dynamic between Ridpath and Mrs Challoner. They don’t always agree on approach but they both have a thirst for the truth.

Where The Innocent Die is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read M J Lee's latest offering featuring DI Ridpath. I think this series is great.......just enough blood and gore and just enough crime. My only criticism is that sadly there are not enough books in which to immerse yourself in when you find a great character like Ridpath and want to spend more time in their world. Unlike some of the American crime novels where the main character(s) is on their 20 or 23 or 26 outing sadly this is only volume 4 and I for one am already desperate for Ridpath's next appearance !

This book had me gripped from the beginning until the last chapter. I enjoyed the last one and this one was even better. Well written and paced. Great characterisation. Suspense filled intrigue. I will definitely read the next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Where the Innocent Die, another of the DI Thomas Ridpath series in which he again delves in to some murky waters. It’s a race against time too as the Coroner’s imminent hearing in to an apparent suicide of a detainee at an Immigration Removal Centre gives Ridpath cause for concern.
An absolute page turner, gripping and exploring some pertinent issues.
I would like to point out a few small concerns. Much mention is made of tapes. I assumed it was the old fashioned CCTV time lapse video tapes of a few years ago but they later morphed in to discs. With that in mind I would assume the Detention Centre had a reasonably modern digital recording system. That was backed up by ‘copies’ appearing later on in the novel. Copying old VHS CCTV tapes was a joyless task and rendered the barely viewable…..in to the indiscernible, not so with digital recordings. So, Ridpath needs to up his game because almost every modern digital recording system keeps a log of when a camera’s output disappears. If he had got hold of that, or even prior recordings from those cameras to establish when the cameras failed then he would have raised his suspicions to a much higher level earlier on in the investigation. Who is Claire Ridpath in Chapter 67 a love child or maybe a typo?
Niggles aside, a fantastic read.

Where The Innocents Die is the 4th book in this excellent crime thriller series with Detective Inspector Ridpath, as usual we have a story of the highest calibre with well constructed characters.
Ridpath is still working in the coroner’s court with his cancer in remission, this time he is tasked, prior to the inquest, of investigating the death of a female Chinese illegal immigrant being held in a detention centre who was due to be deported back to China. Death is assumed to be a suicide, but it soon becomes apparent to Ridpath that corners had been cut during the police investigation and post-mortem and a murder has been committed.
As he investigates this case other murders occur, he joins forces with his old police team as they begin to uncover an illegal smuggling ring involving modern slavery, prostitution and corruption.
Absolutely up to date with the problems this country is facing with illegal immigration particularly from China and Vietnam this is a brilliant thriller.
Ridpath continues to be a great character, although still worrying about his remission and how good a husband and father he is, his goodness, sense of duty, intelligence and humour continue to shine through.
Another winner, a wonderful fulfilling read, long may his remission and good health continue.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Couldn’t put this book down.
The latest DI Thomas Ridpath book - exciting, detailed account of a Coroner’s Court and investigation.
Mrs Challoner, Coroner in East Manchester, asks Ridpath to investigate the death of a young Chinese woman in an Immigration Removal Centre.
Despite being ruled a suicide at the post-mortem she is convinced something is not right.
Ridpath has only 3 days until the inquest starts.
This story covers current news stories such as illegal immigration, prostitution and corruption.
Ridpath is still battling with cancer which is never far from his mind.
My favourite Ridpath book so far.
5 Stars.