Great thriller that kept me turning the pages. Great story, great writing and characters. Really enjoyable and would read this author again.

When I first read the premise for this book, I thought it sounded intriguing. But upon reading it again just before starting, I was indifferent to it. And then when I started reading, I found myself wondering what on earth I was thinking when I requested it. Despite all the rave reviews, I had to let this one go as I just couldn't get into it and found it a little strange. Why, you may ask? Well...

The story begins with a unique, if not bewildering, viewpoint of a badger. Yes, you read that right. A badger. And in between the many other chapters, the badger's perspective is revisited throughout. I'm sorry but this was just too weird. I love animals and everything but I'm not not reading a fantasy or a children's book but crime fiction. With murder, crime and intrigue. But I could find nothing intriguing within the chapters I did manage to get through.

I didn't much take to the heroine of the series, DS Alexandra Cupidi, and her interaction with her younger colleague Jill Ferriter didn't particularly endear me to either woman either. I think probably the fact that I have not read anything else in the series thus far yet again I am finding myself walking into something that's already in full motion and I'm left there feeling lost and dazed...and thoroughly confused.

I'm sure if I trudged on with the book, it may have gotten better, but I have far too many books on my shelf to waste time on something I am clearly not enjoying. I wanted to like this book...I want to like all books I read...but sadly, we cannot like every book we read.

Unfortunately, GRAVE'S END is the first of my reads for 2022 and it did not begin with a bang...but rather more like a deflated balloon. But as so many others loved this book and this series, please don't take my word for it. I suggest you check it out for yourself...you may be surprised. You may love it. Or you may not. Who knows? Reading is subjective and we can't all like everything we read.

I do, however, loathe to leave negative reviews and it's not something I do lightly. I know that every book I read is someone's hard work...the research, the hours, the work they have put into each and every page...I appreciate that entirely. And I hate it when I leave a negative review but it is my honest opinion...and my opinion only.

I would like to thank #WilliamShaw, #Netgalley and #RiverRun for an ARC of #GravesEnd in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of William Shaw and enjoyed this third novel in the Detective Cupidi series. Set in the stark landscape of Dungeness, it is an enthralling mystery and I will read more by this author.

I've struggled to get into this one and am now abandoning it at 30%, at which point the actual plot is still so vague as to be almost invisible, but I know tons more about the personal lives of the two police officers. I realise it's me that's out of step with contemporary crime fiction and most readers love seeing the minutiae of the home lives of the 'tecs, but for me it simply slows the story down to a crawl. Plus, the badger's-eye view sections are not for me, and nor are the descriptions of dead animals, animal cruelty, etc., not to mention my personal pet hate - vomiting scenes. Does anyone like descriptions of people vomiting? I imagine not, and yet it seems to be a compulsory feature of current crime fiction.

Sorry, loved the last book in this series, and might read the next depending on subject matter, but this one just isn't working for me. I'd normally rate an abandoned book as 1-star, but I'm sure in this case the problem is simply a mismatch between book and reader, so I'm rating it as a neutral 3.

I'm delighted to have been introduced to this series. I love the setting and the characters. I could have done without the badgery bits (I watched "Watership Down" at an impressionable age and feared the worst!) but, in hindsight, they did add an extra dimension to the story. If you're looking for a new crime series, I'd have no hesitation in recommending this (and "Salt Lane", the first in the series).

This series of novels by William Shaw really will stand the test of time. They are so of the here and now appealing to a current audience but they will also be of great use to social historians in the future giving them a longevity.

Grave's End is believable and as we learn more about the characters involved in the series we find them more and more satisfying with every new book. The landscape is also a great feature in this book as with the others and adds its own brooding atmosphere to the plot.

Well written and researched, pithy commentary on modern day events and an honest reflection of humanity. I will always look out for a title by this author

Grave's End is part of the DS Alexandra Cupidi thrillers set around the Kent Serious Crime Squad. I read this as a stand-alone but it's actually part of a series. I loved the main character and always enjoy stories that have environmental element to them. I enjoyed the chapters narrated by the old badger and learnt so much about these beautiful creatures. I will be reading the beginning of the series now. With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my digital copy.

An interesting if convoluted story line. I like the cast of characters and I love the relationship between Alex and Jill, probably one of the highlights of the book. All in all a good read that will have you turning the pages

This is a really enjoyable book, and features DS Alexandra Cupidi, who is a part of the Kent Serious Crime Squad, and the case centres around a body discovered in a house that's up for sale. This leads into a bigger story of corruption, government secrets and the protection of species and their habitats, in this story it's badgers.
I didn't realise the wildlife element of the story, but really enjoyed this perspective; it added something new to the genre - the story begins with the narrative of a badger, so definitely an original opening.
This is apparently the third book in the series, so I'm definitely interested in reading the previous books, as there's a lot of character development I'd like to know more about.
A really enjoyable read, the pace was a little slow to begin with, but it suddenly picks up great momentum - I would highly recommend this book.

Oh I’ve found a new crime author to catch up on the back catalogue! Thank you #netgalley
Violent and a good number of murders just as there should be, with several possible suspects to keep the reader guessing and several chapters of very dramatic events in the search for justice.
The novel begins with a gruesome discovery in an empty house which has further reaching consequences than first seemed...
This read was also a fascinating Insight into the lives of badgers, who play an important role in bringing to light a 25year old murder.
The settings of the marshes and badger setts where interesting and atmospheric.
Perfect for fans of Elly Griffiths.

A welcomed new release from the under-appreciated author William Shaw. Grave’s End marks the 3rd book in the DS Alex Cupidi police procedural series.
A series perhaps merits you read them in a chronological order but I honestly feel this novel can be approached afresh as a stand-alone.

What I enjoy is the comfort I find in these pages; a confidence in the author to deliver, a familiarity about location and character but that feeling one has about certain items of clothing.
A new coat doesn’t seem to be mine at first; a borrowed item until a few weeks later it fits in every sense. Same with shoes but these can take a while to bed in for comfort. I digress, what I mean is these books read like familiar favourites, like the twelfth or fiftieth in the series. Yet not tired and repetitive but comfortable and they take me to a world I love to spend time in and enjoy being part of through the pages.
Shaw achieves this from the book one and with each successive title released where other authors I only became hooked by the forth or fifth one published.

The plot is up to date and meaningful; dare I say original. There are a number of competing interests when green field sites are designated for a significant house building project. A rural campaigner fighting against this large scale operation, trying to champion the environment, especially the many badger setts that would need re-locating, goes missing. When he turns up dead it seems his fight against local badger-baiters or opposition to the local housing scheme could have led to him being silenced.

One normally marvels at an author’s dedication to long hours of research and story building outside one’s own general knowledge. Well, this work seems to focus initially on the life and behaviour of badgers. I learned more here than in a series of Spring Watch. They seem to play not just a physical and emotional barrier to the planning laws being enacted, where wildlife flourish and prosper but a deeper meaning is served in their habits, their society and secrets hidden from view and buried underground. So they serve not just as an interesting aspect of the book but an intrinsic part of the novel’s direction and meaning.

At first I thought Mr Shaw perhaps had been drinking too much Spitfire in his writing shed; but then I realised Badger beers herald from Dorset. Perhaps he gets it mail ordered to Sussex.

In any case this link with the environment that comes from Zoë, the police offers daughter is a gentle reminder of the conflicting aspects of progress against maintaining traditional country values. Also incomers, townees, against countryside ways. Privilege against aspiration, political influence and money verses history, heritage and tradition.
Somehow, Shaw interweaves these many aspects of conflict, issues held in tension that may be sufficient motive for murder. The storytelling is of the highest quality and the development of plot well drawn out and laced with the prospect of failure and personal danger. Reality is hinted at but this is crime fiction so I can promise you a reasonable neat conclusion to the investigation. How we get there may be obvious at times and for others perhaps rushed but what isn’t in doubt is the simple pleasure this journey becomes for the reader.

William Shaw is a modest writer of great talent; he continues to produce great novels which engage one’s social consciousness while satisfying one’s desire for escapism and adventure.

A must read this year of uncertainty and fear.

This is the first book i read by this author and won't surely be last because it's brilliant.
I loved the style of writing, the character development and how the author deals with issues like environment, housing crisis and abuse in a sensitive and interesting way.
The story is gripping and entertaining, it's a bit slow at the beginning and fast paced in the second part.
I loved the solid mystery that kept me guessing and the great cast of characters.
There's an unusual character, a badger, and I loved it.
It was an excellent read that i strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

When the body of a man is found stuffed into a freezer in an unoccupied house, DS Alexandra Cupidi finds herself drawn into a case where people will stop at nothing to keep a decades-old secret hidden. What exactly did this man do to warrant his death and how does it connect to the nearby housing development and the people trying to stop the habitat of badgers from being destroyed? Somebody doesn't want something found and will kill to protect it from being uncovered.

I have read many crime books, too many to mention, but I can honestly say that this is the first book I have read where part of it is written from the perspective of a badger! Bear with me - this isn't as strange as it sounds! As much of the book is based around the land where there is a proposed housing development, in addition to getting the experiences of the environmentalists and the developers, I found it an extremely novel idea to learn how this would affect the badgers themselves. As well as this helping to advance the plot, I also found myself learning much about the hierarchy of these creatures and how they live their lives. 

The plot progresses slowly, the first half focusing on the dead man and the police investigation into his murder. I found that once I got halfway in, the pace really ramped up as the real reason for the death was discovered. Without giving too much away, we discover that there are links to a closed boarding school, and the activities that took place there many years ago. I liked how William Shaw included a vast array of characters who made you wonder if they were as they seemed or whether they had something to hide. I found my opinion of several of these characters changing constantly as I tried to discover who was behind the death!

Grave's End is a great read, dealing with some very emotive issues. Although it is the third in a series, it can be read as a standalone although I can definitely recommend the previous books.

Beautifully written, with great character development, this is a great example of series crime fiction that works on the level of both character and plot. I love the setting too.

This is book three in the excellent series to feature DS Alexandra Cupidi. I would strongly advise the reader to start with book one for background detail. I really love the coastal location in Kent and the recurring characters and their development. This book has a new character, a badger, and the very unusual thread told from his perspective. When a dead body is found in a freezer of a house for sale, Alexandra is investigating with Jill, her partner. This book is about property development, wildlife and is filled with atmosphere. It is beautifully written and well researched. I have no hesitation in recommending it as well as the author's other books. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

An unoccupied house which is for sale becomes a crime scene when a body is found in a freezer. This is just the first of a couple of bodies that DS Alexandra Cupidi has to deal with. They do not seem to be connected in any way, but the deeper she digs, the more apparent it becomes that all is somehow linked to the housing project September Homes which causes fierce protests among locals. One of them is the victim in the freezer, Vincent Gibbons, who had been observing badgers in the area and feared that the new houses would kill them or drive them away. Alex Cupidi’s daughter Zoë and their neighbour and ex policeman Bill South also protest against the destruction of the habitat, but quite soon, all three of them have to realise that powerful enemies are willing to do everything to stop them from interfering with the project.

The third instalment of the DS Alexandra Cupidi series so far is the best in my opinion. A single body with no obvious links to anything is the starting point of a highly complex murder investigation which expands from chapter to chapter. What I totally adored were the chapters the old badger is given a voice, thus, the topic of building houses without considering the impact on wildlife becomes a lot more important and interesting and one can only agree with the badger when it concludes, “People stink.”

The plot is perfectly crafted, first moving at a slower pace but then accelerating and also raising suspense. The connections between the different dots are all but obvious and it was a great fun puzzling over it. In the end, the case is solved without leaving any questions unanswered. What I liked most this time was how the characters developed, especially the relationship between Alexandra and her daughter. Bill also becomes more and more a close friend of the two while remaining a bit stubborn but he has the heart in the right place. Alexandra’s partner Jill also becomes more remarkable providing just glimpses of her past where a lot seems to remain to be uncovered.

A series which I absolutely adore and would like to read more of.

My next review is as follows:-

"Grave’s End:DS Alexandra Cupidi Mystery 3” written by William Shaw and published in hardcover and kindle by riverrun on 23rd July 2020. 480 pages ISBN-13: 978-1529401806
I’ve read a lot of the author’s books and this one was most unusual in attempting very successfully at putting the view of the human world from the view point of badgers.

An unidentified cadaver is found in a freezer in an unoccupied luxury house. No-one seems to know or care who it is or who placed it there. When DS Alexandra Cupidi is handed the case, she can have no idea it will lead her to a series of murderous cover-ups and buried secrets. Namely the discovery of the skeleton of public-school boy, Trevor Grey, beneath a housing development.

His disappearance twenty five years earlier had almost passed unnoticed. But as evidence surfaces that his fate was linked to long suppressed rumours of sexual abuse, Cupidi, her teenage daughter Zoe and her friend Bill South find themselves up against powerful forces who will try to silence them.
This is a really superbly interesting, atmospheric and deftly plotted police procedural set in Dungeness and London and I was quite absorbed by this multifaceted story.This is one of the best police procedurals that I have had the pleasure of reading for a very long time.

. (Advance copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair review).

DS Alexandra Cupidi is back, and I was pleased to greet her! The story telling and character development continue apace as the series continues and it makes for a gripping and nervy read. Yes, occasionally, I had to suspend disbelief just a little bit... but I'm very happy to do this to be caught up in a whole other and exciting world for a few hours.

Gram Hickman, who worked for an estate agent, took his girlfriend, Angela Booth, to a house which his firm was marketing. Guildeford Hall was an old Kentish oast house and was on the market for millions of pounds. Gram was hoping that he could get Angela into bed and he'd brought a bottle of prosecco along. It was when searching for somewhere to chill the bottle that he found the body of a man in the freezer in the garage. DS Alexandra Cupidi and DC Jill Ferriter are on the case.

Well, Jill would have gone on the first visit, but she had a date arranged with Harry French. He's good-looking, rich and charismatic: what's not to like? Alex Cupidi isn't entirely certain about him, but she's got other things to deal with. Her seventeen-year-old daughter, Zoë, is protesting about work being done at Whitelands Fields where thousands of houses are to be built. She's there with a friend Jay and no, he's not a boyfriend, but it's Jay who rings Alex when Zoë is held by the site's guard and her phone confiscated. Zoë is concerned that an attempt is going to be made to move the badgers on the site illegally. We hear quite a bit about (and from) the badgers - it's absolutely fascinating.

Zoë's in for more trauma too. She sees a drawing of the so-far-unidentified dead man whose body was found in the freezer and realises that she knows him. He's Vinnie Gibbons, a naturalist who's also protesting about the development of Whitelands Fields. And Vinnie's death is the first of many, with an attempt being made on Alex Cupidi's life. Occasionally the deaths do seem to come just a little too thick and fast, but that's a minor quibble in a book which has exemplary plotting, excellent characterisation and a splendid evocation of the location.

The location is Kent. Cupidi lives out near Dungeness, an area of outstanding natural beauty despite the presence of a nuclear reactor. William Shaw brings it all splendidly to life and he has a real talent with the wildlife. He made me want to go there. The location put me in mind of the North Norfolk coast and Steve Burrows' Birder Murder Mysteries which started well, but is easily outclassed by Shaw's Alexandra Cupidi novels.

The combination of Cupidi and Ferriter is more than the sum of the parts and Shaw develops it superbly. It's a cliché, but they're chalk and cheese. Ferriter's always immaculate, Cupidi doesn't bother much about how she looks. Ferriter is outgoing, Cupidi reserved, but somehow there's a close personal and professional relationship there and it comes off the page well. Cupidi's the star of the show, but I find myself rooting for Jill Ferriter. She had a difficult childhood, but she's pulled herself through it and she's making a success of her life. Well, apart from the odd glitch with unsuitable men.

It's the plot you want to know about, isn't it? I loved it. It ranges over so many problems we've faced recently: abuse in a minor public school, the shortage of housing and the need for more to be built in the countryside. It's thought-provoking without ever being preachy.

As well as reading this book I listened to an audio download (which I bought myself) narrated by Jasmine Blackborow. There was the occasional mis-hit with regard to pronunciation, but I liked the range of voices and I'd happily listen to more from her. She narrated the first three novels in the Cupidi series proper, although the prequel, The Birdwatcher, is narrated by Roger Davis.

When her daughter calls her, DS Alex Cupidi is annoyed that she is caught up in protests about a housing development but when the body of one of the protesters is discovered in a luxury house Cupidi is drawn into a murder investigation. The development site yields more in the form of a long buried skeleton of a missing teenage boy and suddenly the investigation is turned on its head.
I really enjoy Shaw's Cupidi series because there is always a clever twist in the take. Here the story starts off fairly straightforwardly about animal protectors, developers and badger baiting. The bigger picture conspiracy kicks in but it still seems to be completely about housing. Suddenly the plot turns on its head and becomes something much darker and altogether more unpleasant. Yet at its core this is a solid and strong police procedural.