Set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Sharon Dempsey’s ‘The Midnight Killing’ is a slow burn whodunnit that focuses largely on the apparent suicide of a seemingly happily married architect and how this modern-day case is linked to one from 20 years ago involving a little girl who disappeared without a trace.

When James McCallum is found hanging from a tree on the grounds of his former school, it seems like a cut-and-dried suicide. But soon detective inspector Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey start to suspect foul play, and when they find encrypted files on James’ computer about a 20-year-old cold case, things become even more strange.

Why was James so interested in the little girl’s case? How is it linked to his death? Who killed him? Was it his wife? Was she having an affair? Was it one of his friends from high school? What happened to the little girl? And what’s with all the tension between Danny and Rose?

The novel leaves us with more questions than answers and when I say it’s a slow burn, I mean SLOW. BURN. Like trying to boil an egg in the winter sun.

I only realised this book is the second in a series by Dempsey when I was about a third through, and there’s a lot of background info I felt I was missing. Many mentions about Northern Ireland’s conflicted past - The Troubles - which I had the vaguest idea about but not nearly enough to really give me enough context to understand the underlying plot.

There’s also very clearly something brewing between Danny and Rose, but again, it feels like if you didn’t read the first book in the series (titled ‘Who Took Eden Mulligan?’, in case you’re interested), you missed a lot of what’s just below the surface.

‘The Midnight Killing’ can be read as a standalone, but it made me feel like I was just a step or two behind all the time, and as such, I found it really hard to connect with the characters.

The big reveal happens really late in the book and after all the wondering and investigating and questioning suspects, what actually happened to James – and the little girl – fell a little flat to me.

Also, the fact that the cover reads “when the party ended, the nightmare began” and yet the novel tells us so little about the party made me feel a complete disconnect to what the book promises and what it actually delivers.

Dempsey should have given us more POVs, going back 20 years ago and really give the reader a ‘first-hand take’ of what actually happened when the group of young friends took that fateful trip to Mistle.

This one unfortunately missed the mark for me.

This book was very interesting...when I first started it I wasn’t sure where it would go.

A man James McCallum is found hanging from a tree, seeming to be a suicide but nothings ever so simple.

After further investigation DI Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey find out this was no suicide, this was a murder.

The journey to discovering what truly happened picks up when an encrypted file on the victims computer leaves everyone questioning whether there is more to the story, could the disappearance of this eight year old little girl be connected or is it merely a coincidence?


I throughly enjoyed the deep analysis we are given during this case as if we are there while it’s been solved. It was hard to put this down as I never knew where it would go.


Them you to NetGalley, Avon Books, and Sharon Dempsey for writing this book and giving me the opportunity to read and review this gripping novel!

I loved the first book in this series and loved this one which is even better.
The plot is tense, never stopped keeping hooked, and I wasn't able to guess the twists or the culprit.
The characters are well rounded and interesting.
A solid mystery that I highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Midnight Killing is the second book I’ve read by Belfast-based crime writer Sharon Dempsey. I very much enjoyed Dempsey’s crime thriller & mystery, Who Took Eden Mulligan?—the first book in the series. Her latest is another twisty story of murder, relationships, family secrets, and lies.

This book unfolds from the points of view of Rose Lainey, a forensic psychologist; and Danny Stowe, a detective inspector investigating a murder staged to look like suicide. I liked how Lainey and Stowe’s thoughts crossed over so that you get different perspectives of the same event or discussion and found this one of the book’s strengths.

Dempsey’s latest is about so much more than solving a crime. For the benefit of those who haven’t read the first book in the series, Rose and Danny have a history. They attended university together, where they forged a close friendship, though Danny always wanted more from the relationship then and still does. But Rose rejected his one romantic overture during their college days (which we learn about it in this book). That memory makes Danny reluctant to reveal his true feelings to Rose for fear of compromising their friendship and work relationship.

Rose Lainey is a fascinating and complex character, and it’s easy to like and feel empathy for her. She still struggles with ambivalent feelings for her deceased mother, Evelyn, who Rose grew up believing was part of the Republican movement and supported the IRA during The Troubles. Rose had left Belfast for university in Liverpool at age eighteen. Within a month of leaving, she changed her name from Roisin Lavery to Rose Lainey, determined to escape her unhappy Belfast past and reinvent herself.

She moved to London to take a job from university and never returned, becoming estranged from her family. But when her mother died, Rose returned for the funeral, and Danny Stowe persuaded her to remain to help him investigate the Eden Mulligan case (first book). That was when Rose discovered her mother wasn’t an IRA supporter after all, but an undercover operative working on behalf of the British government.

In this book, Rose has chosen to remain in Belfast permanently to work for the Police Service of Northern Ireland and to attempt reconciliation with her siblings. Rose realizes she paid a heavy price by shutting out her family to escape her past marked by violence. Yet she still struggles to form a connection with them because for so long, she had shut down the part of herself that allowed her to be vulnerable as a form of protection from hurt. That, in part, explains why she doesn’t reciprocate Danny’s feelings.

DI Danny Stowe is also an appealing, multi-layered character. Besides the conflicts over his romantic feelings for his best friend Rose, he still hasn’t come to terms with his recent divorce or his feelings for his ex-wife. He’s also an unrelenting investigator who puts his all into leading his team to solve the murder. He’s affected by his past but isn’t the cliched “flawed” or injured protagonist.

As in her previous novel, Belfast plays a large role, and Dempsey effortlessly places us there. I certainly got a sense of place in the present and the past with its dangerous nature during The Troubles. Here Rose’s siblings “stayed” whereas she left, and though she realizes the city has changed and she’s changed a lot, Rose is struck by the sense she is now home again.

Dempsey is an excellent storyteller. She writes so well the words seem almost to disappear (a good thing), and it’s all about the characters and their stories. More than just a crime novel, this book is also about families, childhoods, long-past legacies, and the impact they continue to have many years later. I liked the nuanced way Dempsey handled the subplots throughout the book. It’s not overwritten. The story and traumatic events of the tragic past constantly hover in the background but never overtake the present events. Instead, there’s a benign sense of acceptance of them and the impact on everyone involved in many ways. This is another excellent read from Dempsey.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley used for this review representing my honest opinions.

Rose, a forensic psychologist, and Danny, a detective, are working on a strange case together. A man is found hanging in a tree on the grounds of a school. At first glance, it looks like suicide, but upon further inspection, it is a much stranger case.

As Rose and Danny investigate the death of this man, James, they find themselves also looking into the disappearance of an 8-year-old from many years ago, which might be related.

Once the pieces start coming together, Rose and Danny can’t drop the feeling that it’s all connected until the final, deceitful picture is revealed.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series but this one didn't appeal to me as much and I struggled to get engaged with the story. was okay. I really can't explain why as on paper it should tick all the right boxes.

I was given an advance copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is entirely my own.

Although I did enjoy reading The Midnight Killing as it had plenty of twists to keep my interest I had not realised it was a sequel to another book which I have not read. If I had known that I would have read the previous book first as there were times in The Midnight Killing where I was a little lost and would have benefited from the knowledge of the previous story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my ARC.

The Midnight Killing is full of secrets but unfortunately these secrets won’t stay buried. When the body of a local architect James McCallum is found hanging in the grounds of his former school everyone suspects suicide, however DI Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey suspect foul play is behind it. Whilst investigating, they find a link to a twenty year old cold case, but how does this link to James’ death? I really enjoyed this book and find it hard to put down. It moves along at a good pace, keeps you enthralled and allows you to get to know the characters. I would rate this book 4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books any the author for the chance to review.

Twisty, Edgy Crime Drama…
Dark secrets from the past emerge in this twisty, edgy crime drama with a well drawn and credible cast. When a body is found hanging in school grounds DI Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey suspect that it is not the suicide it seems to be. With foul play suspected, an investigation begins in earnest, an investigation with links to the past. An immersive storyline and a well crafted narrative give rise to a wholly engaging, often emotional, read

3.5 stars
This is a good crime thriller.
A man’s body is found hanging from a tree and at first it looks like suicide but both DI Danny Stone and Rose, the forensic psychologist are not surprised that it’s then discovered to be murder.
There’s a link to a cold case from many years ago and the killer’s identity is slowly unravelled.
This is a good read.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The midnight killing is the first book I’ve read by Sharon Dempsey and I was really looking forward to getting stuck into this book but for some reason I found that it just didn’t seem to flow I thought in places there was a lot of details that should have been included about characters etc whereas in other places I found it dragged out a bit too much.

Having done some more research and digging I found out that this book is the second one in a series which I didn’t know about so had I have known that I may have found it flowed better and that it was easier to follow. I’d definitely say if you’re going to read this book then reading the first book is a must as this book doesn’t work as a stand alone.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book. Sadly I didn’t finish it as just couldn’t get gripped.

The Midnight Killing is a decent read about a man who hanged himself and a possible connection to an unsolved case about a girl gone missing decades prior. After looking into the suicidal man, the two MC detectives found enough evidence to suspect foul play after all.

While I enjoyed the story, the plot and storyline seemed to get slow and plodded along. I didn’t love the shorter chapters and felt that there could be more of a story. The book didn’t grasp me as much as I thought it would.

Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

When DI Danny Stowe is called to the apparent suicide of James McCallum he expects a cut and dried case, but following the post mortem, it appears James has been murdered. During his investigation there are links to a cold case years earlier. With the help of forensic psychologist Rose Lainey he proceeds to uncover the truth.
A steady detective novel.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. I am under no obligation to leave my honest review

Know in advance that this is a followup to Who Took Eden Mulligan, which I have not read, and that there are numerous references to that case which meant I was a bit at sea. That said, this tale of an architect- James McCullum, found hanging on the ground of his old school, is a well done and atmospheric procedural set in Ireland. DI Danny Stone enlists forensic psychologist Dr Rose Lainey to help him understand the scenario and then they discover there's a link to a very cold case. No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Recommend to those who read the first book- but I'd like to see more with these two in a fresh mystery.

I really enjoyed the style of the story and the mystery.
An absolute page turner. Just when you think you have it figured something comes along and you are back to figuring out who , what, when, where and why!
The plot was well thought out. I think they did a good job with the cast of characters and the developments along the way.
This is a great mystery/thriller for anyone looking for a suspenseful, twisty read. I really enjoyed this one and would definitely read more from this author.

Avon,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
Can't thank you enough!
I will post my review closer to pub date.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to review this book with my honest opinion.

Dr. Rose Lainey and DI Danny Stowe look into the sudden and mysterious death of James McCallum, and their investigation leads them to an unsolved case of a missing girl from 20 years prior.

Sharon Dempsey did a great job at creating a mystery that keeps you wanting more. Each chapter leaves you with questions that can only be answered by continuing to read and that is albeit annoying in a sense, it is a good annoyance.

This story is well thought out, however, I would have appreciated less of the “filler” chapters that I believe are not necessary in these types of books. The chapters that do not necessarily add to the story but sort of just create a separate storyline that do not fit in all that much. However, I did enjoy the novel and about halfway through is when it really keeps your attention and has you hooked to try to solve the mystery along with the Rose and Danny. I enjoyed that although some oof the mystery was easy to guess there was a little twist that was more unexpected and changed the ending from how other novels would have played out.

This is my first introduction to Detective Inspector Danny Stowe and Dr Rose Lainey and for me it was an intriguing read, being as it's set in Belfast. An area that has a contentious history with the police and I was interested to see how that would play out.

And The Midnight Killing is a very solid police procedural. That does hint at Northern Ireland's troubled past. And it's one that's full of investigative detail too, from what an autopsy tells you, to how scenes of crime interpret evidence, to how the police then take that evidence and use it to narrow down a suspect, and I certainly found that very engaging.

But for me the story lacked pace, and I felt that not enough happened, particularly during the first half to really enthral me. Yet, it certainly got more interesting as it developed, especially once the connection to a young girl's disappearance was made. And I enjoyed the mystery of who and why James McCallum was killed.

When the body of local architect James McCallum is found hanging in the grounds of his former school one cold, dark night, DI Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey suspect foul play behind his apparent suicide. To their astonishment, the trail leads to a 20-year-old cold case of a missing girl, and a teenage party. But what was James’ fascination with the case and how is it linked to his death? This book apparently is a sequel and while it does read well as a standalone, it might be better to read the one before this. There will clearly be a third that hopefully tie some ends together. Having said this, this story was quite a thriller and had lots of twists and turns and a highly satisfying ending. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

What a good book! Who killed James MacCallum??
He was found hanging from a tree in the grounds of Osbourne Grammar School but was it suicide or murder? Inspector Danny Stowe & his team, including Dr Rose Lainey, who was a long-standing friend & crime expert, begin the investigation. They make a great duo, who work well together.
I look forward to reading more about this crime team, Would make a great television series!

A man has hanged himself on the old school ground, or so it seems. There is just something that does not add up. There is also an unsolved case of a girl gone missing years ago that pops to the surface. Could these two cases be related?

An enjoyable read about police procedure and the dark settings of what has been going on in Northern Ireland not too long ago. Interesting characters with great background stories, great and intense relations between people, and past events that changes almost everything. Intriguing story and well worth the read!