The story:
When a friend from Air Transport Auxiliary Third Officer Lizzie Hayes’ training days is murdered, and the body found with the hands removed, Lizzie fears it shows the hallmarks of a ‘serial murderer’. Having studied this particular type of crime during her PhD studies, she is keen to help uncover the murderer.

DI Jonathan Kember has his hands full himself, with a similar murder on his patch, along with two missing people — one of whom is the Chief Inspector’s niece. He is keen to work with Lizzie again, both for her unique insight on cases and because of their blossoming friendship. But with the powers that be in both the police and the airforce standing in their way, will Kember and Hayes be able to uncover a murderer before any more lives are lost?

My thoughts:
“A Silent Way to Die” is the second book in author NR Daws’ Kember and Hayes series, and takes place 5 months after the events of book one (“A Quiet Place to Kill”), in December 1940. Kember and Hayes seem to have seen little of each other since the resolution of the so-called Scotney Ripper case, but are brought together again when Lizzie learns of a friend’s murder, and a similar death occurs in Scotney.

As with the first and third book in this series (I read book three “A Perfect Time to Murder” first, before going back to catch up on books one and two!), both Kember and Hayes’ superior officers are extremely dismissive of Lizzie’s skills in psychologically profiling the killer, calling her a crank and a psychic… Kember’s boss Chief Inspector Hartson is particularly unpleasant, although he is himself feeling the strain of his own niece being missing.

Once again, I really enjoyed this partnership, and the pair seem to have developed more trust in each other’s skills since book one. This story is set around Christmas time, and the potential pool of suspects — encompassing the airbase of RAF Scotney and the local village — is expanded by a group from ENSA (the Entertainments National Service Association) visiting Scotney to provide entertainment for the troops in the form of a Christmas pantomime. When more murders with the same hallmarks are uncovered near other airbases in the south-east, suspicion falls on the travelling entertainers. But which of them could it be?

The author did a good job of surprising me with the solution to this mystery, and it was another very enjoyable instalment in this wartime murder mystery series. The author has a new book outside this series due out next year, this time a cosy mystery set in Hampton Court Palace, which I look forward to reading — although I hope we also hear more from Kember and Hayes in the future!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

A great thriller - I would recommend it!

The reader is taken back to war in 1940, with the pain and suffering of that time, as well as some romance and mystery thrown in for good measure. This is the second book in the series I see, and I hope there is a 3rd one.

this for me was a strange story, killing people for their hands to rebuild her dead dad, disturbing to say the least! I was surprised it was a woman because it was so gruesome and she needed to be physically strong, which she was. It wasn't a page turner or an easy read for me, sorry!

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. It had me hooked right from the start

The story was great! I enjoyed all the twist and turns of the plot. The characters were great. The book is a fast pace book. The details and descriptions of events gave me a good visual of all the excitement within the book.

This is the second novel in the Kember and Hayes series, I read this as a standalone but feel that to fully grasp the story I need to read the first novel! It was a great read and I love the historical aspect which I do not generally read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The story is tense and thrilling and keeps you turning the pages until the end. Recommended! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the second book in the series and although it reads fine as a standalone, I think I would have benefitted from having read the first one. I like the combination of Kember and Hayes! And I would have liked to have figured out how they came to be working together.

Lizzie Hayes is a pilot ferrying planes during WWII in the UK. This is a time when there are not many female pilots around and their presence on base was not exactly welcomed by the higher ups. The prevailing attitude is that they should be at home, looking after their menfolk. Lizzie is a bit unusual in another way too. She has a psychology degree and she also has a special "feel" for crime scenes & people, which benefits DI Kember when he has curly issues in a case. However, HIS higher ups are not exactly thrilled by her involvement in any of his cases, so she has to tread very softly indeed, if she is going to be of use.

DI Kember has the most perplexing case to solve and it will take all of his wits and experience, as well as that of Lizzie, to figure out what the facts are telling them.

Intriguing book, set at an interesting time. The author has a way of storytelling that really sets the scene.

4 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK.

This book gripping my attention since the prologue. Set in WWII Britain, the war background added extra thrilling effect of how the investigation will happen. I love the good mystery and this one is interesting enough to keep me till the end. The main character is unique and written well. I love the plot and twist. This book is part of series, but still easy enough to read as standalone.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy.

A silent way to die by N R Daws.
A Kember and Hayes Mystery Book 2.
December 1940. With the Blitz devastating Britain’s cities, Lizzie Hayes and the women pilots of the Air Transport Authority are more crucial to the war effort than ever before. But when the relative peace of the village of Scotney is shattered by the disappearance of the Chief Inspector’s niece, it’s Lizzie’s training as a psychologist that draws her into another disturbing police case alongside DI Jonathan Kember.
A good read with good characters. Likeable story. 3*.

An intriguing and entertaining historical mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The mystery is solid and kept me guessing, the characters are fleshed out, and the historical background is vivid.
It's the first I read in this series and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A slowburner mystery that is intriguing and engaging the whole way through. It is twisty and unpredictable and kept me guessing. An enjoyable read.

Excellent book loved it as it had me gripped and on the edge of my seat,the story and characters go so well together 5*

December 1940 Scotney Village. Two people have disappeared, one the niece of Chief Inspector Hartson, the other labourer Kenneth Jarvis. But that is not all that D.I. Jonathan Kemper has to deal with because a body of a female has been discovered, throat slashed and her hands missing. Kemper requests the help of Lizzy Haynes. Her interest is engaged as a friend of hers has recently died the same way.
An entertaining well-written, and well-plotted historical mystery with its cast of interesting and likeable characters. This is a good addition to the series which can easily be read as a standalone story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Silent Way to Die by N.R.Days

December 1940. With the Blitz devastating Britain’s cities, Lizzie Hayes and the women pilots of the Air Transport Authority are more crucial to the war effort than ever before. But when the relative peace of the village of Scotney is shattered by the disappearance of the Chief Inspector’s niece, it’s Lizzie’s training as a psychologist that draws her into another disturbing police case alongside DI Jonathan Kember.

Events threaten to overtake the pair when a local shepherdess is found murdered – and there’s something strange missing at the scene of the crime. As more bodies turn up, each bearing the same hallmark, Kember realises the campaign of terror will only escalate unless they can use Lizzie’s training to get into the killer’s mind.
I enjoyed this . I found the plot easy to follow and whilst not the edge of your seat suspense , it was a good story with enough interest to keep me reading.
I read it in a couple of sittings so it must have kept my interest !
Good solid characters and I enjoyed the way DI Jonathan Member set about solving the deaths.

This book was sent to me by Netgalley electronically for review…mystery and intrigue…characters who are somewhat likable while others are not…solving the mystery makes this a page turner…although the story moves slowly, at times, it does come to a conclusion that is surprising.