local-law-enforcement, Wales, small-town, secrets, lies, suspense, procedural, working-partners, due-diligence, colleagues, teamwork, mystery, murder, investigation, banter, out-of-retirement, twisty, friends, friendship, unputdownable*****

I love Detective Norman and his fellow coppers, they work so very well together. This is a wonderfully twisty read filled with lies, misconceptions, and some fun as well. Great series.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Joffe Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Book Title: A Body Under the Bridge
Series: West Wales Murder Mystery #6
Author: P.F. (Pete) Ford
Publisher: Joffe Books
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: June 25, 2024
My Rating: 3.6 rounded up
Pages 319


Detective Norman is out of retirement and back on the beat in a rainy Welsh seaside town of. Llangwelli. Norman may seem a bit old-fashioned, but he’s always willing to learn from his band of misfit recruits.
In this story Norman is needed to step in for DI Sarah Southall the leader of their team is she needs to settle her father’s belongings as he recently died. She will be gone for a few days.

His first investigation is trying to find why Gareth Jenkins an elderly gentleman leaves his beloved/faithful dog home alone and then goes missing?
Jenkins is later found in a stream under an old railway bridge. According to the pathologist, the body has been in the water at least three or four days. Why would anyone want to murder a harmless old man?

I read a lot of thrillers and typically suspect everyone- I also usually have someone on the top of my suspect list. Although I was suspicious of several characters I didn’t have a top candidate. These characters were all excellent liars - claiming they know nothing about anything. When they were caught in an outright lie – they were quick with another answer - which I was sure, was another lie.

Turns out, I was clueless as to whodunit!

I am a big psychological thriller and not so much of a police procedure fan and it surprised me that I am enjoyed this series so much. These detectives were good and I love Norman.
Now I am looking forward to #6.

I also enjoyed the info at the back of the book
“The Joffe Books Story”
I did know that Joffe is pronounced like coffee. </i>
Which brings me to the.
<i>‘Glossary of English for US Readers’
This is fun- plus happy to admit nothing was a big surprise!
Did laugh at “Lovely jubbly= someone is pleased.

Thank You NetGalley and Joffe Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 25, 2024.

A very gentle, quite slow-paced mystery. The Welsh setting is fabulous, and the detective (Norman Norman) is a lovely character.

Why would elderly chess-playing Gareth leave his beloved dog unattended? Why is his house empty? What's happened to the money in his bank account? And then he's found dead - miles away.

As the detective and his team investigate, their search broadens and very different pictures of Gareth emerge. Is he shy and gentle, or grumpy and mean-spirited? And when friends, neighbours and relatives lie and change their stories constantly, it's hard to discover the truth...

Twisty plot and lovely characters.

Wales-based DI Norman has a new case. An elderly gentlemen is wondering what happened to his chess partner. Later, a body is found under the bridge, and is identified as the missing person. Was he murdered? Could the nasty neighbor who lies often be involved? Was he the victim of an online scam of some sort, since several of the suspects have superior computer knowledge? And how about a greedy estranged relative? There are so many possibilities, but the author manages to keep us guessing. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

P.F. Ford, where have you been all my life? His latest book, A Body Under the Bridge is, thankfully, part of a series of mystery novels set in Wales. Having been to Wales in the past, and enjoyed it, I’m very happy to see that this series of books is using it as a setting. I’m also happy to now be familiar with this author, and his West Wales Murder Mysteries because they are a dialogue-laden, atmospheric delight. I had no sooner finished reading the prologue than I knew I was going to enjoy this book, and I did.

This plot driven police procedural grabs you from the very beginning, and takes you on a twisting, turning ride, leaving you breathless, and startled by the conclusion. Halfway through this book, I ordered the others so that I could start the series at the beginning. If you haven’t tried this author or this series, I cannot recommend it enough.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for providing me with an advanced digital copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

Another fantastic read from PF Ford and an intriguing case for Norman Norman when an elderly gentleman is reported missing by his chess buddy, later to be the body under the bridge. Twists and turns galore and a definite one sit read

Only downside now is the wait for the next to be released

Gareth, an elderly man is reported missing by his chess playing friend, who states that Gareth would never leave his dog unattended. As Detective Norman and his team investigate, little is found in Gareth's home. The
investigation looks into Gareth's relationships with family members and neighbors after his body is found miles
from home. Depending on whom the team speak to, Gareth was either a grumpy old man or a shy gentle man.
The more that is learned about the neighbors' relationships with Gareth, the more questions arise.
Page turner to discover who the killer is.
#ABodyUndertheBridge #JoffeBooks #NetGalley

319 pages

4 and 1 / 2 stars

This is a wonderfully complicated novel. It has many characters, some of whom seem to be allergic to the truth.

An elderly man named Gareth leaves his dog alone in the house and sets off to meet someone. His chess playing friend Alun goes to the police station to report him missing. His body is later found in a stream miles from his home.

Detective Norman and his team begin the investigation by visiting Gareth’s home. It looks abandoned. Hardly any furniture, little food, except for the dog.

When the pathologist states that Gareth had been in the stream for three or four days, the police doubt him. Gareth was seen walking his dog just two days ago.

There are many twists, turns and surprises in this book. A sister shows up at Gareth’s house claiming she is the executor of his estate and that several thousand pounds are missing from his bank account. She has a very hard time with the truth, and leads the detectives down various garden paths. The reader finds out that Gareth also has an estranged brother, and a neighbor woman who seems to have hated him. Other neighbors really liked him.

Mr. Ford’s talent seems to be increasing. I truly enjoy his creative stories and writing style. His characters are interesting and for the most part likable. (A murderer can’t be likable, can they?) The police officers got along well and worked together as a team. There are no divisive sub-plots in Mr. Ford’s stories. Well done!

I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Loved the latest installment about detective norman and his police colleagues. This story was full of twists. A solid read with no idea on the culprit til the end of the book 5*****

5* An excellent mystery

I was delighted to have the chance of reading an ARC of this book, I've read many books by this author and each one deserved 5* rating. This is no exception.

When I read a mystery I try to identify the criminal as the story advances. A skilled writer will provide clues, hints and red herrings throughout the book to keep the reader absorbed. At the very end I want to be surprised when the murderer's identity is revealed. P.F. Ford is a very skilled writer and manages all this, and more.

A Body Under The Bridge contains more twists and turns than a corkscrew, the culprit only being disclosed in the final page. Highly recommended.

eARC generously supplied by Joffe Books and NetGalley, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

I’ll always pick up a Wales based crime fiction book. This one is a solid offering. We follow Dectective Norman and his colleagues solving the mystery of a missing elderly man. Interesting characters and an interesting plot line. The pace was pretty good and I finished in just a few hours.

I was very excited to read this as I love reading mystery novels based in Wales, it was a very twisty read as we explore Llangwelli and the mysteries that take place. Great read overall!

Detective Norman is out of retirement and back on the beat in a rainy Welsh seaside town. Llangwelli might be short on sunshine, but it’s certainly not short on murders . . . Norman may seem a bit old-fashioned, but he’s always willing to learn from his band of misfit recruits. A lonely widower. A body in a stream. An impossible puzzle! Great read!! I loved the characters! This book had suspense, intrigue, murder, mystery, action, a great who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and had me glued to my kindle! I definitely recommend this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I was surprised to find this wasn't the first in the series, there were times when I felt things were being over explained to me, in a scene setting way.
Norman was a good character, and I liked the team too.
Interesting plot, and an easy read.
Enjoyable.