The Descent isn't your run of the mill whodunnit police detective stories. This book is darker than an all black nightmare. Sometimes, an act of compassion or hate is all it takes to tip the scales, to make or break a person. Be kind. You don't know what other people are going through, what demons they are trying to subdue.

Thrilling, original and a bloody good read!!


I couldn't put this book down, reading it in two sessions with only a short sleep getting in the way.

Matt Brolly has produced an original, innovative police procedural that keeps the reader on edge all the way through. DI Louise Blackwell is faced with a quandary; a group of young women are committing suicide in Weston-super-Mare. Is this coincidence or are there darker forces at work? At the same time, her brother, a recovering alcoholic, has relapsed taking his young daughter away with him.

The scene is set for a wonderfully tense story, as the crimes escalates and DI Blackwell is faced with a terrible dilemma.

Matt Brolly handles the tension beautifully, showing immense skill in balancing all the different elements of the story, peeling back layer upon layer until the truth is finally revealed.

In the crowded world of crime thrillers, this is refreshingly imaginative, wonderfully written, unusual and superbly paced. I wish I'd written it....

My first time reading this author and I was very impressed. Detective Louise Blackwell is a tough cookie although at times, she seemed to be overwhelmed with her personal life and her job. I've read quite a few books where the female investigator is made out to be super woman enduring both physical and mental pain.

The storyline dealt with a Jim Jones kind of character. As a matter of fact, the very idea of cults scare me to death! To know that one single person can have total control over an individual is pretty scary and knowing that there are people out there who are so easily lead into whatever cult leader wants.

Blackwell doesn't rely on what she sees in one victim and therefore doesn't make quick decisions as to results. When a second case pops up, her radar kicks in and from then on it gets quite intense. My recommendation is to read the book! You will like it!

This is a really good compelling read. I loved the characters and the plot and the setting. I really enjoyed the first book in the series and I would recommend both books. I looking forward to seeing how the series and the lives of the main characters develop.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A woman is found at the bottom of a cliff. General consensus is that this is a case of suicide. DI Louise Blackwell isn't convinced. Next to the body is a note ... Death is not the end.

Months earlier, another young woman was found at the bottom on a different cliff.. and there was a note there, too.

Blackwell is certain that someone is behind these acts, someone pulling the strings turning these cases into murder. How many others have not been discovered ... or marked as suicides? How many more will follow?

When a third woman is found, Blackwell sets her eyes on what she feels is the prime suspect. But she has no proof .. and no one is talking.

Simultaneously, Blackwell has family issues. Her brother has been drinking quite heavily since the death of his wife, and his young daughter is bearing the brunt of his negligence.

The plot is tightly woven between the deaths and Blackwell's personal life. It's well written with a twist that is totally unexpected. The characters are deftly drawn and I loved the interaction between Louise and her family, and the women and the prime subject.

Many thanks to the author / Amazon Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Well written, intelligent police procedural with fabulously real characters and a very involving plot. I love the Weston Super Mare setting and how big a part it plays throughout the book. DI Louise Blackwell is a breath of fresh air, with no 'over the top' personality traits or habits. All of Matt Brolly's books are worth reading, but I would recommend reading the different series in chronological order.

This is author Matt Brolly's second book in the DI Louise Blackwell series. I dived right in, not having read #1 in the series. There were several references to Louise's history from the previous book, which has necessitated her move to the small English coastal town of Weston-Super-Mare. Having become intrigued in Louise's story, and liking the writer's style, I will go back and read #1 in the series.

A body is found at the base of one of the cliffs in the town of Weston and there is a suicide note, "Death is not the End." The first death is taken as a suicide, but when an eerily similar suicide happens again, DI Blackwell begins to suspect there is more at play here. Meanwhile she is experiencing serious stress on the homefront. Her recently widowed brother, Paul, has taken to drinking heavily and he is the sole caregiver for his daughter Emily. Both Louise and her parents are troubled by Paul's behavior and begin to wonder, is there more behind this than what meets the eye?

The author skillfully unfolds each layer of the story as Louise uncovers it so that the reader is drawn in and feels like a part of the case. There is a cult-like leader who wields influence over a group of women followers through his charasmatic and sexual presence, as well as carefully dispensing the tea, ayahausca, which gives the followers an otherworldly high.

I enjoyed watching this case unfold with it's two concurrent story lines: DI Louise Blackwell's police case, which has it's fill of drama and backstabbing fellow officers, as well as her personal story with the brother. This is a great book for those who enjoy police procedurals and stories set in British settings. I will look forward to following her story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon--Thomas & Mercer Publishers, and author Matt Brolly for allowing me an ARC of this book.

A good mystery, fast paced, gripping and entertaining. Great characters, a plot that kept me hooked, and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
It's the first book I read in this series and won't surely the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Looking for a solid police procedural with a female lead? I've got 2 for you today, and this is the first! While this is a newer series, I've been a big fan of the DI Lambert series for years, and this series is a natural flow from it. Probably because of his law degree, Brolly always gives us a look at both sides of the mystery at hand, and this book sticks to that idea. Louise has to put aside her family issues to try to work out a pattern with the suicides, so that they can hunt for the true killer. it's a furtive game of cat and mouse, and how we all have blinders and misconceptions. A fast read, it's perfect for staycation reading!

This is the second book featuring DI Louise Blackwell, who is based in Weston-Super-Mare. This time she is convinced that the supposed suicides of two young women are connected. She is also concerned for her brother Paul, and her niece, Emily. Paul was widowed a few years ago, and isn’t handling it well.

I read the first book in this series, and was glad that I had done so. I like the premise of this main character as a woman in a decidedly mans world and the setting for this book is very well written. However, I couldn’t quite empathise with Louise, and felt slightly irritated by her at times. But there was definitely enough intrigue in it to make me want to finish the story, and the other characters are developing nicely. I didn’t see the twist at the end coming and I look forward to reading the next in the series

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest opinion..

The Descent is the second in the series of books featuring DI Louise Blackwell, I haven’t read the first, and it can certainly be read as a stand-alone novel as it has several references to the first and gives a background as to how Louise is in her current situation as Detective Inspector of a quiet team in Weston-super-Mare.
It is a brilliant book, the characters are so great and the plot is very original.
DI Louise Blackwell is battling with the most complex case since her placement in Weston-super-Mare and feels guilt that she cannot give the time she would like to her personal life when her family need her.
The case involves apparent suicides. How are they connected? Are they suicides are is foul play involved? What can Louise do to stop any more people dying? Will she be able to help her own family as well at the same time as protecting the community at large?
A very good book, so well written and very original.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

DI Louise Blackwell #2

Set in Weston-Super-Mare: A body has been discovered st the foot of a cliff just months after a near identical tragedy. DI Louise Blackwell doesn't believe it could be a coincidence. There's a note next to the body that echoes the one found beside the first: Death is not the end. How many more will die before Louise can find out who is behind it all.

Louise is convinced there is a link to the women's deaths and she is determined to find out what it is. She's also dealing with her brother eh is on a downward spiral after the death of his wife. This is a well written police procedural. I haven't read the first book in this series but it did read well as a standalone. This story is told from Louise and Amy's point of view. This was an interesting read due to its unusual plotline.

A body is discovered at the foot of a cliff, and then another one and another one. Detective Inspector Blackwell knows that it cannot be a coincidence, but then a personal problem is getting in her way. She needs to find her missing brother with his daughter.
Thank you Netgalley and thanks to the Publisher for this opportunity.

The Descent is the second book to feature Detective Louise Blackwell. I really enjoyed the first one but this one not so much. It's a good, solid police procedural but I felt there was too much time spent on Louise's family background, which became a bit repetitive and distracted from the main story. The plot centres around vulnerable young women in an online chat group and is fast paced, although a bit depressing at times. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

THE DESCENT by Matt Brolly is a police procedural and the second book in the Detective Inspector (DI) Louise Blackwell series. It is set most in and near Weston-super-Mare in England. This series is best read in order. Louise’s background is shared in book one and helps shed light on her situation and mind-frame in book two. The story has two points of view; that of Louise and a few chapters from Amy’s POV. Amy works at a diner, lives in a run-down bedsit, and is grappling with grief.

When multiple suicides occur, DI Blackwell is called to the scene. When it appears that they may be linked, Louise works hard to discover what is occurring while trying to balance that with family troubles. The work/life balance that she faces is what many workers face every day. This added to the realism and kept me thoroughly engaged in both facets of her life.

The plot is driven by the police working through the clues. There is a lot more going on under the surface. The mystery around the suicides was somewhat unique and different from many other books using this type of story line. Other themes running through the story line include work relationships, the drive to succeed, grief, loneliness, friendship, family, alcoholism, drugs, gambling and much more.

The characters are compelling, fascinating, and felt three-dimensional. There was enough at stake to keep me engaged throughout the story. The world-building was absolutely fantastic and gave a clear sense of place. While the main mystery and the family issues were resolved in the book, there are several open threads for future books in the series.

Overall, the plot was creative, absorbing and well-paced. I would recommend it to those that enjoy police procedurals and British crime dramas. I look forward to reading the next book in this series as well as checking out this author’s DCI Michael Lambert series.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and Matt Brolly for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

This is a solid police procedural.

A suicide in Weston-super-Mare isn't particularly suspicious until another one happens and Detective Inspector Louise Blackwell is called to the scene. She starts asking questions, especially once she sees the accompanying farewell note that says 'Death is not the end'.

But she's also distracted by family troubles - an alcoholic brother who's not doing a very good job of looking after his child.

Soon we're introduced to a young woman who's fallen under the spell of a charismatic man who has a whole group of cult-like followers. He gives them a drug that shows them what the 'other side' might look like, and that brings them closer to him. So close he can push them off the edge of a cliff with their consent...

It's an interesting case and kept my attention. Sometimes I found the main character's concerns about her family matters a bit repetitive, but on the whole it was an enjoyable read and I'd come back for another one in the series.

I'm already a big Matt Brolly fan. Love his Michael Lambert series and Louise Blackwell is shaping up to be equally as enjoyable. The mystery around the suicides was an interesting and unusual way to approach this topic and I was captivated from the first page. Louise's private life provides as much interest as the main plot. The troubles with her brother, her worry for her niece, there were times when I wasn't sure who I should be most concerned about. Action packed, full of emotional depth and engaging characters. I can't wait for the 3rd Louise Blackwell book. Plus Mr Brolly does the Audible thing and for that on its own he deserves a round of applause. Get on board with Louise Blackwell now, you can always thank me later.

Really enjoyed this book, definitely as good as the first one in the series. Plenty of twists and turns, had me gripped all the way through. Definitely worth reading

DI Louise Blackwell has a lot on her plate. As well as a troubling series of apparent suicides, her brother and young niece go missing and she finds it difficult to concentrate on the ongoing investigation, leading her to make uncharacteristic mistakes.

A number of vulnerable young women are members of an online chat group led by the charismatic and sinister Jay Chappell. As matters develop, Louise discovers that Chappell is not all he claims to be. Events escalate, leading to a dramatic showdown on an abandoned pier.

We are constantly reminded of Louise "seeing" her niece in the young women whose deaths she is investigating, which seems a distraction at times; however, it helps us appreciate how difficult balancing her personal and professional life is.

This is a well-written police procedural and although there isn't as much focus this time on the relationship with Louise's treacherous former colleague, Tim Finch, this suggests unfinished business to come.

I enjoyed reading this book and will be interested to see how the various characters and their relationships develop in the next instalment of the series.

I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Amazon Publishing UK, in return for an honest appraisal.

Wow, this was an incredible book and enjoyed every page!

Louise is making the best of her situation, after being forced out of a previous position but when she thinks that the suicide of young women in her town seem to be staged, it takes all her skill to get to the bottom of it. Coupled with her worry about her brother, who seems to have gotten in over his head, and her adored niece, she has her hands full.

This was an excellent police procedural and the storyline was effortless. I held my breath on numerous occasions and even the ending, as shocking as it was, was something I kinda understood. I got emotionally involved, which is what you want when you read a book.

5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer.