Dark thriller that had you hooked from the off. The book was very well written. Great plot. Very exciting. Fast paced to get your heart racing. Loved this book

Into Deadly Storms is the first book I have read by this author.

Great page-turner. Well-crafted characters and enough twists and turns to keep you interested until the very end. In this novel, Detective Sara Hirst faces her toughest case yet in Into Deadly Storms.

A great mystery.

When the wrapped body was found by a poor, unsuspecting dog-walker, Detective Sara Hirst and DI Edwards, along with the Norfolk Serious Crimes unit began their investigation. Soon the Drug Unit joined the investigation as tentacles spread far and wide. Sophie, a schoolteacher at the nearby high school was a habitual drug user – a habit she’d started in university and couldn’t break – and when her supplier didn’t show, she went looking for him. It wasn’t long before the connection between the murder and the drug user became apparent, but Sara and her team were struggling to put it together.

When DNA led to a connection to a person the Met had been chasing for a long time, London Detectives joined the Norfolk team. Would they be stymied again in the quest to arrest these people? With the many minor players in the wind, Sara wasn’t sure if they would crack this one…

Into Deadly Storms is the 2nd in the DS Sara Hirst series by Judi Daykin and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were a lot of characters, but it was easy to keep track of them. And the link with the Met in London brought characters back from the 1st book – Under Violent Skies. I’m finding this series entertaining, with the suspense and mystery, fast pace and chilling action, right up my alley! I do recommend this series be read in order though because of the flow on from the first book to the second – and I have no doubt it’ll flow to the third as well. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

udi Daykin lifts the lid on the dark underbelly hidden deep within the majestic rural landscape of North Norfolk in her second Detective Sara Hirst thriller, Into Deadly Storms.

When she had left London behind for Norfolk, Sara Hirst never imagined that she would find herself facing one of the toughest cases of her career. England’s east coast might be worlds away from the hustle and bustle of London, but evil lurks, thrives and multiplies even in some of the country’s most picturesque locations as she discovers. When she is called onto the scene of a shocking crime, Sara realises that one of Britain’s most wanted criminals is on her patch and they will stop at nothing until they achieve their twisted and nefarious ends. Sara is used to challenging cases, but as this latest investigation propels her headlong into jeopardy and despair, will she get to the bottom of this case? Or will she end up getting so close to the truth, that she will end up paying the ultimate prize in her quest for justice?

A dog-walker finds a dead body during first light. Half-naked and wrapped tightly in an old groundsheet, Sara needs to find out why this victim was brutally murdered. Was it a random accident? Was the victim just unlucky? Or is there a sinister connection that marks this murder as a blood-curdling prelude for what’s to come? Will the killer strike again? Or was the murderer determined to pass on a menacing message with this particular murder?

As Sara takes on dangerous enemies to discover the truth, she begins to wonder whether she can solve this case…or whether her investigation will be cut short…indefinitely!

Judi Daykin’s chilling crime novels are deftly layered page-turners full of tension, adrenaline, danger and menace reminiscent of Val McDermid at her very best. Into Deadly Storms grips like a vice and will keep readers on a knife’s edge until the final terrifying twist. Detective Sara Hirst is a wonderful creation – she is flawed, human, forensic and meticulous in her investigations and readers will thoroughly enjoy going along for the ride with her.

A superb chiller from a fast-rising star of crime fiction, Judi Daykin’s Into Deadly Storms is a brilliantly plotted read guaranteed to keep readers riveted all through the night.

Teenager Callum Young is missing and then his body is discovered, sparking a murder inquiry. DS Sara Hirst embarks on the investigation and is thrown into a web of drugs and lies. But who killed Callum and why...?
Into Deadly Storms is the second book by Judi Daykin to feature Sara and her team but it is the first that I have read, It works perfectly well as a stand alone novel and there were no spoilers about events or the case in the first book.
Sara Hirst's character has lots of potential but I felt like she didn't shine in this book. Her relationship with her boyfriend is struggling due to their work commitments and both feel resentful. She hasn't spoken to her mother since her father's funeral and then her stepdad gets in touch with bad news. Her colleagues and her relationships with them take second place to the main murder plot and I wonder if these were established more fully in the first book.
Another main character is Sophie, a teacher at Callum's school who bought drugs from him. Her descent into despair and desperation prove a distraction to Sara and her team. In contrast is drugs gang leader Lisa London: ruthless, determined, downright scary!
The character I felt most in tune with was Danni, a young woman whose boyfriend's drug involvement leads to her being a mule. She then uses her own initiative to find favour with the gang boss Lisa. Danni wasn't a particularly likeable character but she showed more emotion and felt more realistic than any of the other characters in my opinion.
With a plot of drugs and murder, there are some unpleasant parts to the book. There is violence and some forensic detail but not a great deal. The focus of the plot is upon the three main strands of plot: Sara's investigation, Danni's drug running and the downfall of teacher Sophie. Three women with very different experiences and aspects to the murder of Callum.
Into Deadly Storms is an interesting and intriguing read overall.

Into Deadly Storms is the second in the DS Sara Hirst series set in North Norfolk, a cop who moved from the London Met to the more rural setting, joining the Serious Crimes Unit, initially made to feel less than welcome by the police team, but matters have settled down somewhat. A dog walker discovers the body of a teenager in the woods, the victim turns out to be Callum Young, living in a care home, and involved in drugs. This turns out to be a difficult and complicated case touching on numerous issues, such as county line drug networks, and a drug addicted teacher. This is a fast paced and entertaining crime read from the author, Judi Daykin, that is likely to many crime and mystery readers. Many thanks to Joffe Books for an ARC.

Fascinating story, keeps the reader guessing all the while. Storyline involves drug dealing, major crime with one or two surprises before reaching the conclusion. A good read, well recommended

DS Sarah Hirst is settling with her new team and they are gelling nicely which moves cleanly on from the first book in the series. A dog walker finds the body of a young teenager; living in a care-home Callum also was a drug pusher although the home's "father" seemed unaware of this fact. Sophie, teacher at his school, is concerned at his absence but mainly, it seems, because she desperately needs his drugs. The drugs' aspect escalates to include a notorious Italian-London city family with the highly unpleasant and callous Lisa London - always under suspicion, not yet caught. So big London drugs scene reaches out to sleepy Norfolk. Plenty of twists and turns before a somewhat frustrating ending which clearly is going to lead on to another story or so. The policing was well-written and most of the characters believable but I did have problems with Sophie, the school teacher, wondering how on earth she managed to hide her addition from colleagues especially when she always seemed to be either very high or very low. Other than that quibble a well-written absorbing story. Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I did not realise this was part of a series but after reading this I'm keen to read the first one.
It was a good story line

This is book 2 in the Sara Hirst series and is even better than the first.

The body of a young man is found and Sara and her team find this case is going to be far from easy beginning with the struggle to identify the body and then to find out what happened to him.

It seems everyone has a secret.

This is a gripping story with a lot going on. Drugs and their devastating effect on lives, a drug lord with no conscience and caught up in the middle is a young man who just wants to help everyone.

Love the characters they are all different but Lisa London is uniqueness wrapped up in a very believable character. The characters from the first book continue to grow and there are difficulties thrown in as when people turn out to be different than first thought.

All in all this was an absolutely stunning read that I couldn't put down and I am looking forward to more from Judi.

I read, loved and reviewed the first book in the series called ‘Under Violent Skies’ featuring Detective Sergeant Sara Hirst. I couldn’t wait to meet up with Sara Hirst again. Well ladies and gents the wait is over because the second book in the series is called ‘Into Deadly Storms’ was released on 18th March 2021. I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of ‘Into Deadly Storms’ but more about that in a bit.
It took me no time at all to get into ‘Into Deadly Storms’. In fact as soon as I read the synopsis, I knew that I was going to be in for a treat. I made the fatal mistake of starting to read this book shortly before I went to bed. Let’s just say that bedtime was delayed and I had a lack of sleep hangover the following day. I found that I just could not put this book down for any length of time. I had take so well to the character of Sara that she began to feel as though she had become a friend and of course I had to keep reading to see if she managed to solve the case. The pages seemed to be turning so quickly that the page numbers became a blur. All too quickly I reached the end of the story and I had to say farewell to Sara Hirst and her team.
‘Into Deadly Storms’ is superbly written. I thought the same of the first book in the series too. The author certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and draw you into what proves to be a compelling story. I love the fact that the stories are set in Norfolk as I have relatives from there and I loved reading about places with which I am familiar. Judi tackles some topical and often very tough subjects but she treats them with compassion and sensitivity. Reading ‘Into Deadly Storms’ felt like being on an at times scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. I found ‘Into Deadly Storms’ to be an unputdownable and gripping read, which certainly kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Into Deadly Storms’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Judi’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

DS Sara Hirst hit the ground running in book one in her new posting to the Serious Crimes Unit in Norfolk, but the initial hostility she encountered due her skin colour and the fact that she was not expected is well and truly over, and she is now settled into the team with DC Mike Bowen, new DC Ian Noble and motherly admin Aggie working for DI Edwards. DC Ellie James has transferred into the Drugs team under DI Powell. Since finding and losing her father, Sara has a choice to make over his estate while her relationship with her mother Tegan back in London’s Tower Hamlets is still very strained. At least her romance with Chris the café owner is going well. The story begins with the disposal of the body of a young man dressed only in his underwear and wrapped in a tarpaulin in the woods. It doesn’t stay hidden for long though and the following day it is discovered by a man and his dog. A school teacher is concerned about a missing pupil for a number of reasons and visits the care home where he is living. A chance discovery by the manager there brings the police and soon the boy’s body has an identification. Callum Young was fifteen and was always out riding the bike he adored. Meanwhile in London, things are afoot for a notorious crime family which sets them on a collision course with the quiet villages of Norfolk, and the case explodes wide open revealing a host of dangerous suspects and motives. With tensions running high between the drugs and murder squads and facing some clever and powerful criminals, can they manage to pull together to crack the case? The many different people and their stories all come together to start to reveal the awful truth about London, Norfolk and Callum Young.
The well drawn and very likable detectives from book one are back and expanded upon, with the welcome addition of a couple more members to the team. This is a book with a nicely complex plot and loads of interesting characters. There is lots going on to capture the reader’s attention and keep them completely engrossed, while at the same time being so well written that it was easy to follow the storyline and watch as the various threads all came together in a very satisfying ending with some winners and some losers. I wonder if some of them will make another appearance in future stories? I can thoroughly recommend this book, with its current themes and issues, and I sincerely hope there will be more from Sara and the team in Norfolk. 5*

Into Deadly Storms by Judi Daykins is the second book in a series featuring DS Sara Hirst who works in the Norfolk Police's Serious Crimes Unit. This is a book you can read without needing to read the first as Judi Daykin fills in the bits you need well. I must say, I have read both and as with any series if you read them in correlation to each other you get more of a feeling for the characters. If you don't mind about that it is fine to read alone.
A teenager is discovered wrapped in a tarpaulin and dumped. Sara and the team start investigating and as they dig deeper and begin to discover information about the boy the more it becomes clear that other sections of the Police force need to be included in this case. As they investigate they get to a point where they realise this is no run of the mill death. It seems they have a conspiracy that is a wide reaching and dangerous one on their hands, but can they find the answers?
Another excellent and multi-layered, intricate read that is definitely packed full of drama and twists with plenty of intrigue along the way. Into Deadly Storms is mainyl written from Sara's point of view so it really had me gripped and I was really turning the pages to see what we would get next in the story. Although this is simply a crime thriller we are faced with much more. The author has managed to weave a story that takes us on a simply exhilerating journey. She has managed to touch on drugs, sexual assault, prostitution, violence and prostitution throughout this book. An investigation that deals with the murkiest things and brings plenty of suspects so it almost makes it an impossible job to find the right person!
I loved going back to spend some time in Sara's world again, a copper who came to Norfolk for 'the quiet life' from London. She has an realistic feel and that alone makes me feel at home when I am knee deep in her investigations!
Thanks to Joffe Books, NetGalley Jill Burkinshaw for the copy of the book.

Thank you Netgalley and Joffe Books for the eARC!

Let me preface by pointing that I didn't read the first book in the series but it's not necessary, this book works very well as a standalone.

It's been a while since I've read a story in which I end up rooting for both the good guys and the bad guys (with some caveats, of course). On top of that, this is a multiperspective narration in which I didn't hate any of the main characters! (I'm looking at you Daenerys).

That's my take from Into Deadly Storms: the story follows three unique, fully fleshed characters that are very different from each other and interesting in their own right, and even when their actions are not entirely commendable you can't help but to empathize. I'd honestly love to read a sequel to any of their stories, as they're so different in nature even when they're tangled in the same murder / drugs mess.

I'll be looking forward to the next installment of the series!

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Joffe Books for the electronic copy.

This is Book #2 in the DS Sara Hirst Series. She lives in a flat in Norwich, a couple of floors away from her boyfriend Chris, a local coffee shop owner. She initially transferred from the Metropolitan Police to the Serious Crimes Unit in Norfolk in order to make contact with her father, an ex-police officer himself who became a murder victim whilst investigating possible trafficking in North Norfolk. (Just to catch you up).

A dog walker (isn't it always?) comes across the body of a teenager in woods renowned for late night sexual activity. Callum Young is a resident at a children's home and is inordinately proud of his Boardman bike - which he is always out on, even though he never uses lights. Sophie, his teacher at school, is a cocaine addict and Callum was one of her suppliers - worried when he doesn't turn up for school and, worried that her supply is running out, she visits the home where she and the house father, Matt Morgan, discover evidence that Callum is distributing drugs - part of a County Lines network. Sophie has an alternate, though unreliable supplier, Gary.

Danni and her boyfriend Johnny are in trouble with a major drugs distributor - Miss London, in London. Danni is coerced into being a courier between London (the city) and Norwich but it's not long before Danni craves the lifestyle of Miss London - the power and wealthy trappings she could only dream of; but Danni isn't stupid. She doesn't take drugs and soon finds herself with a powerful hold on other users and distributors in the network.

As DS Sara Hirst and her team try to unravel connections, tensions emerge between their murder investigations and the drugs squad, but connections are made, eventually. I found those tensions rather "overtook" any real investigative work. I was really disappointed with the ending - lots of loose ends, though perhaps they'll emerge in a subsequent book?
Contains paedophilia, County Lines drug networks, violence and addiction.
I really quite liked Matt from the children's home, he seemed only to want to help, both the boys in his care and Sophie. Miss London is the embodiment of callousness. Gary is a whimpering childish character dominated by his sister. Danni is a Miss London in the making.
Honestly, I didn't think much of the investigative part of this story - I'm not sure Sarah played a leading part in it.
Compared to Book~1 - really not as good.

But Hey - that's my opinion, it's still a decent story, so give it a try!

Following her successful debut novel last year, this page turner follow up continues to follow the career of DS Sara Hirst. Set in Norfolk, it deals with the dark underbelly of rural life in the 21st century - the poverty and sense of hopelessness that create a fertile ground for the trade in illegal drugs. It opens with the death of a teenager which immediately raises questions in the readers imagination. A gripping and compulsive read in the tradition of Elly Griffiths and Joy Ellis.

3 stars

An interesting murder/drugs mystery involving a young teen victim, competing police task forces causing drama, & a young woman sucked into the high stakes world of drug trafficking. Decent mystery & well written, but there were no characters who engaged me much.

[What I liked:]

•There is a handy glossary at the back for slang & jargon! I sincerely appreciated it, since it saved me having to pause every few pages to google a UK emergency services acronym.

•There are 2 other women characters (in addition to the series’ MC) who have major plot lines told from their POVs. All three story lines end up intersecting more & more as the story progresses. I thought that was an interesting narrative approach, & the writer pulled it off.

•The mystery has several threads, including a murder & a drugs investigation. This gave a nice complexity to the story, & there is added drama of inter-department police politics (competing task forces).

•I liked Sara, the MC, alright. She’s smart, respected by her colleagues, & hard working. Some of her coworkers (Edwards & Aggie especially) made great side characters, too.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•There are lots of characters, & they’re introduced one after another in the first few chapters so it was hard for me to keep them all straight at first.

•A few of the characters were hard for me to grasp. Danni seemed a little flat; she was all about grasping power for the sake of power. While that can be a realistic character motivation, it felt too 1 dimensional for a main character like her.

•Gary wasn’t flat so much as...odd. He didn’t have much consistency as a character. He seemed more childlike than spoiled, but he was no innocent. Some of his erratic behavior could be chalked up to drug use, but even that didn’t make sense sometimes. It was hard for me to imagine a grown man acting so completely childishly.

CW: drug use, drug dealing, murder, on page violence, off page underage sex, racism/racist language (directed at a POC MC by a minor character)

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

When the body of a teenager is found wrapped in a sheet and dumped in the woods, Detective Sara Hirst and her team are called in to investigate.

Who would want this young man dead? For sure, not his English teacher. He's been keeping her supplied with little packets of goodies ... the things she needs to stay on an even keel. Maybe a rival drug dealer? Maybe one of his other clients? Maybe this was just a random killing.

There are many suspects ... and they all seem to be hiding something. But is it all related to this killing? And will the killing stop here?

Suspenseful from the first page, this is a well written follow up to UNDER VIOLET SKIES. There are plenty of twists and turns featuring deftly drawn characters. This is the second in the series and is easily read as a stand alone.

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

This is the second novel featuring D. S. Sarah Hirst, I haven’t read the first but this is fine as a stand alone story. Set in Norfolk it is a police procedural thriller and has a well written plot with strong female characters. A teenage boys body is found wrapped in a groundsheet in the woods by a dog Walker, Sarah and her team investigate, eventually his death is linked to drugs and to a notorious crime family in London. As the police race to find the killer there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. I look forward to reading more in the series and following Sarah’s story.

Into Deadly Storms is the second instalment in the Detective Sergeant Sara Hirst series, featuring her exploits as part of Norfolk Police's Serious Crimes Unit. The prologue opens with a half-naked body sprawled across a bathroom floor. The right foot is broken at the ankle and despite having his face to the vinyl the visible part of his cheek shows the impact of a bunched fist. Blood runs from a head wound, even though breathing has ceased. There is blood on the toilet bowl and a bloody piece of scalp on the porcelain shower tray. A middle-aged man is standing nearby frantic about what to do about his predicament. Trying to justify the dark deed he reminds himself that the lad was cocky and had picked a fight with the wrong person; he weighs up his options: call the police, tell them the truth and trust them. Or tidy up the mess, dump the evidence and hope that Norfolk police are too inept to connect it to him. Decision made, he takes an old groundsheet from the shed along with a roll of gaffer tape and grabbing the boy's legs he pulls him out of the tiny bathroom space and onto the plastic. He arranges him arms across his chest and tapes the tarpaulin tightly shut. It was 10:30 pm and with his neighbours’ houses in darkness, he double-checks he's alone before placing the body in the backseat and setting off to the dumpsite. It isn't long before Sara and Detective Constable Mike Bowen are diverted from the scene of a fight to investigate when a body is discovered by Lawrence Brown and his Retriever, Goldy, wrapped up and dumped at Stiffkey Woods near Little Kettleford. The area. four miles from Fakenham, was a site frequented by male prostitutes and drugs gangs. Her boss DI Edwards soon joins them as do the CSI team and police pathologist Dr Taylor. They quickly identify the victim as fifteen-year-old Callum Young, a Year Eleven student at the local high school.

A resident at Lyndford Lodge, a care home for homeless youngsters based in Marlham, he was a known drug dealer specialising in weed and cocaine. Meanwhile, twenty-four-year-old English teacher Sophie Bailey becomes concerned when Callum doesn't turn up to school and ends up at the home looking for him where she meets Matt Morgan, the housefather, who is a rather dodgy character. Both Matt and Sophie and some very manipulative, cold-hearted people are interviewed and the police realise they have a wide-ranging, extremely dangerous conspiracy on their hands. This is a riveting and compulsive procedural from the very beginning through to the very end and there is no doubt that Judi Daykin is a force to be reckoned with despite being a new face in the genre. It is a brilliant, complex, multilayered read full of drama, tension and some wickedly twisted twists. The further you progress into the story the more you realise just how adept Daykin is at weaving a scintillating, unputdownable, thrilling ride. It touches on the issues of drugs, abuse, sexual assault, manipulation, violence, grooming and prostitution, and the fact that it's told primarily from Sara’s perspective means it is easy to become immersed in the case. The large pool of suspects makes it nigh on impossible to guess exactly who is involved and to what extent, and it has an authentic and incredibly realistic and believable narrative with Sara being a protagonist I look forward to reconnecting with. Living in the quaint village of Happisburgh, in a beautiful cottage bequeathed to her by her late father, Sara is content with life in her mid-thirties having left the hustle and bustle of London and a successful career in the Met for the gentler pace in Norfolk Police's Serious Crimes Unit. An enthralling, absorbing and thoroughly entertaining page-turner. Highly recommended.