On Anglesey , a girl Abby, goes missing .Living with her Aunt and Uncle ,suspicion falls on the uncle as Abby has previously called him a perv.Around the same time , at Tonsgrove prison on the island , Sheila Jones is murdered in her cell.D.I Gareth Williams is in charge of the investigation and his fiance Laura volunteers to go undercover in the prison as nobody will talk about the murder . Suspicions that the governor is dealing drugs in the prison because she is related to some Druglords. Laura is accused of being a copper but after intervention from a cellmate is let go.A prisoner Kayleigh with links to the drugs gang escapes with Laura clinging to the roof trying to stop her. A chase across Anglesey ensues with a showdown near the Menai and Brittania Bridges putting Laura's life in danger.Another great page turner from Simon , there are references to Laura's previous life in the Greater Manchester police but still reads well as a stand alone nove.

A good solid crime thriller with a great Anglesey setting, Laura Hart is an interesting character and her undercover work is gritty and tense, it was good to find out more about her and what made her tick.
Pacewisw I found the book a bit slow in places but it nevertheless sucked me in and the style of writing made it easy to read.
I would read more from this author.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Simon McCleave keeps up the standard in the latest offering in the excellent Anglesey Series. This book starts off with the cliff hanger from the previous book, so you’re straight off with high pace and high tension, if anything I just felt this was resolved a bit too quickly for my liking. I was expecting it to be the main theme for the book.

The rest of the book then focuses on the twin storyline of a murder in the local women’s prison, and a teenager that goes missing. Like all the books in this series this was a totally engaging storyline and kept up high pace, high tension and high energy throughout. I always love the way Simon covers the interviews with the various witnesses.

These storylines in particular seem almost unsolvable and the team need to take risks, especially Laura, in order to solve them. I think the sections that took place in the jail were very well written. As usual the story builds to a great conclusion.

If you enjoy good quality detective fiction I strongly recommend this book and other books by Simon McCleave to you. I wait with bated breath for the next book in this excellent series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Somehow, this series has passed me by, so when the opportunity arose to read this book, I grabbed it with both hands. It is number 5 in the Anglesey Series but can easily be read as a standalone.

DI Laura Hart doesn’t believe in making life easy for herself & this time she is sent undercover into a prison to investigate a murder where no one is willing to talk. Alongside this, the Beaumaris team are looking into the disappearance of a 17 year old girl.

This was a fabulous read. The dual storylines are handled with aplomb; a mixture of police procedural, action thriller & good old fashioned twists. The characters develop (with helpful reminders from previous books) & I certainly became invested in them. My tbr is supposed to be reducing but I’m going to have to get the first four books now! Recommended.

In his latest book of the Anglesey thriller series, Simon McCleave has DI Lauren Harty and her partner Garret find themselves in the middle of two cases that seem to be connected. A school girl seems to have vanished and the evidence points to her drowning in a lake. On the same day, a prisoner is killed in her own cell and further investigation leads Lauren to believe that the two cases are connected.

Who killed the woman? What about the girl? What is her fate? Read the book to know what happened.

I must say I felt the cases in this book were more intriguing than the previous one. The little cute movements between Lauren, Gareth and her children were very heartwarming and the last chapter of the book was particularly very sweet. I liked the way in which both the cases have been brought together - it could have been very difficult to do in a believable manner but McCleave has achieved that. It is a solid entertaining police procedural which you might want to check out.

When seventeen year old Abby goes missing Detective Laura Hart knows that time is of the essence- the longer she is missing the less likely there is going to be a happy ending. Meanwhile in the prison a woman with connections to organised crime drug gangs, is stabbed. The police on Anglesey have two cases on their hands. Both Staff & Inmates at the prison are not very helpful. Laura decides the only way to get any answers in to go undercover- not something that goes down well with her daughter, who having lost one parent is not keen to lose another!

This is the fifth in a series. I have only read the one proceeding this, but I really enjoyed it & was delighted to get hold of this one, which if anything was even better. It is fast paced, with great characters & twists to keep you guessing. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- I'll be looking out for the next one!

A gripping and well plotted mystery that kept me hooked.
Due to health issues cannot write a proper review now even if I enjoyed this book.
A more extensive review will follow
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Perfect as a standalone. Even though it's part of a series. I think this is always advantageous and makes me more willing to read it. I will however be going back for the previous instalments :)

Twisty and full of suspense, I really enjoyed it. I love a police procedurals and this ticked a lot of boxes for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Simon McCleave’s “Dead in the Water” is a masterful addition to the Anglesey series, delivering a gripping crime thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. As a book reviewer, I found this novel to be a compelling blend of suspense, intricate plotting, and well-drawn characters.

The story begins with the mysterious disappearance of a seventeen-year-old girl from her home, thrusting DI Laura Hart into a high-stakes investigation. Simultaneously, a murder within the local prison adds another layer of complexity to the case. McCleave expertly weaves these two narratives together, creating a tension-filled atmosphere.

DI Laura Hart is a standout character, portrayed with depth and nuance. Her resilience and resourcefulness are put to the test as she navigates the dangers of undercover work. The supporting cast, including her fiancé and boss DI Gareth Williams, adds richness to the story, providing professional and personal stakes.

McCleave’s writing is crisp and engaging, with short chapters that make for a fast-paced read. The vivid descriptions of Anglesey’s landscapes add a unique backdrop to the unfolding drama.

“Dead in the Water” explores themes of justice, loyalty, and the lengths one will go to uncover the truth. The dual investigations highlight the challenges faced by law enforcement in balancing multiple high-pressure cases.

“Dead in the Water” is a thrilling and satisfying read that will appeal to fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers. Simon McCleave has crafted a story that is entertaining and thought-provoking, with twists and turns that keep readers guessing.

Another good episode in the Angelsey series of police procedurals. The main character is Laura Hart , Engaged to a collegue, Gareth she is involved with the disappearance of a 17 year old girl and the murder of a woman prisoner . Short chapters and a fast pace with plenty of action, this is a quick read . The plot is well thought out with a couple of twists .May be in places the plot is a little too sensational ? However it is fiction !
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Set in Anglesey, Beaumaris CID is called into action when a seventeen-year-old girl goes missing and an inmate is stabbed at HMP Tonsgrove, in what appears to be two separate crimes. As inmates and staff close ranks at Tonsgrove, it is down to DI Hart to go undercover and try figure out who is responsible, without anyone knowing. Alongside this Gareth and team try to locate the missing teenager.

A well-paced plot with plenty of action, and loads of twists as the police get closer and closer to solving the crimes.

I read this without reading any of the other books in the DI Hart Series, and it does work as a standalone as there is plenty of background to the characters included in #5. I’m looking forward to working my way back, reading some of the earlier novels in this series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Avon Books UK for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyable read.

4 stars.

#DeadInTheWater #NetGalley
Another great read n this detective series set in Anglesey. Book 5 in the series but can be read as a stand alone as there is enough reference made to past events. Two seemingly unconnected crimes are investigated by Laura and Gareth and their teams. Plenty of action, twists and turns and red herrings to keep the reader on their toes. I look forward to more in this series

I think this has become my favorite series and a really good author. Bestselling Simon McCleave is back with another Anglesey-set gripping crime thriller full of twists that will keep you guessing until the last page.

When a seventeen-year-old girl vanishes from her home overnight, DI Laura Hart knows that time is of the essence. Then, an inmate at the local prison is murdered in her cell, and suddenly Beaumaris CID is juggling two major investigations. With inmates refusing to talk to the police, Laura is forced to take drastic action: going undercover behind bars. With everyone under suspicion, Laura’s true identity must be kept a secret, meaning no one can protect her. Locked in with a killer, it’s a race against time – can Laura find a lead before she’s found out?

4* Clever and twisted thriller, with a huge cast if potential culprits, suspects, bad guys and cops, that dovetail pretty well. Loses 1* because of the too low-key ending.


This book has a lot going on - a cop turned bad guy/a cop who's going undercover in a women's prison/ the cop's fiance/ female prisoners/ a female BAME prison governor who may be not just corrupt but actively using her position to aid drugs import and distribution/a prison guard who's rotten through and through, but possibly in a privileged position/two teenage females, one of whom goes missing/drugs gangs in the north of the UK, to list most but not all. On top, there's a storyline that seemingly starts with the disappearance of one of the young girls but not everything is as it seems, and what you get is a nicely dovetailed story that for the most works really well, with reveal after reveal coming towards the last 10%, and an ending that ties up most if what's featured. It's the ending that dropped this tale from 5* to 4* for me, because one of the bad guys just came across as not quite believable. I appreciate that UK tales may not have the gloss and drama that US-set ones do, but this felt a bit tacked-on. I mean, it did the maths and came up with a 'hmm, I suppose I can go with that' ending/feel but it just felt a tad anticlimactic.

Oh, there's also a wedding and a couple of decent teens, the latter kind of having an added-in, inorganic feel to them, but for the purposes of fleshing out the cop and her fiancé's lives, they worked. I'd read more of this couple, but most likely in KU only.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Avon Books, for my reading pleasure.

I really enjoyed this book. I've read others in the series but if you hadn't then you would still enjoy it.
Highly recommended

This was exciting to read and I desperately wanted to get to the end to find out what happened to the girl. Can understand why Simon is a best seller as this kept you turning the pages into the night. Loved the way it all came together in a way I was not expecting, a brilliant story.

This is the first novel I've read by Simon McCleave and it does not disappoint. Fifth in the series with DI Laura Hart and a stand alone novel. When a woman prisoner is shanked in her prison cell and nobody willing to talk, DI Laura Hart offers to go undercover to find out what is going on. Her boss and future husband DI Gareth Williams has his doubts as he is also investigating the disappearance of Abby White who is just 17 years old from her home. A fast paced novel with plenty of police procedurals and action. There were a couple of errors in the book if someone could tell the publisher.
Abby White is referred to Abby Wright several times in my ARC.

"When a seventeen-year-old girl vanishes from her home overnight, DI Laura Hart knows that time is of the essence.

Then, an inmate at the local prison is murdered in her cell and suddenly Beaumaris CID is juggling two major investigations.

With inmates refusing to talk to the police, Laura is forced to take drastic action: going undercover behind bars.

With everyone under suspicion, Laura’s true identity must be kept a secret, meaning no one can protect her."

Gripping, terrifying in equal measures the pages turned so fast
Highly recommend

Laura is still recovering from her last incident with her former best friend Pete. But there's an alert that a girl has gone missing from her home. Abby has just vanished in the night and there are no obvious clues at first.
Then an inmate is murdered in her cell at the nearby prison. A woman who is seemingly feared and protected by her gang affiliation, who should have been untouchable.
Surely these two incidents can't be connected?
The procedural story kept me engrossed and McCleave ends with a twist in the tale.