The Body on the Shore

An intricate, well-paced police procedural with an engaging detective and an absorbing plot.

Intrigue and mystery beckon from the start of this story and intensify as it progresses, with three seemingly unrelated serious crimes. DCI Craig Gillard has to try and solve them, keep his bosses happy and avoid an international incident with the help of his dedicated team of detectives, colleagues from the past and his keen intuition.

The crimes are shocking but not overly graphic in description, the conspiracy that surrounds them gives the story a menacing ethos and the final twist is thought-provoking and somewhat poignant. I liked the authenticity of the story and the all the characters are believable. The settings are vividly described and add to the story's suspense.

A worthwhile read for anyone who likes police crime fiction.

I received a copy of this book from Canelo via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Gripping from the start. I've not read Nick Louth before but will certainly be looking for him now.
The novel opens with the discovery of the body of a young architect, a seemingly happy, well liked family man. The story then moves on to the disappearance of two young children following strange sitings on a country estate and another murder 200 miles away. What is the connection?
Despite many characters in the story, the plot remains easily followed. In Book 2 Gillard travels to Albania. I haven't read any novels with an Albanian back story, so this was an interesting new twist. And the conclusion was suitably shocking.
Gripping.

Peter Young is found shot dead in an upstairs office. An unidentified male body is found on a Lincolnshire beach. And the adopted children of a lady of the manor disappear.

Craig Gillard must find out what happened in each of these cases. Is there a connection?

A real page-turner, with a wholly unexpected conclusion

A gripping novel set in London and the Eastern bloc country of Albania. DCI Craig Gillard and team struggle to solve the murder of an architect shot in his office. When it was discovered the dead man was originally from Albania, many other crimes involving Albanians are starting to link in. I enjoyed the London part of the story. Good police procedural and it is when the story switches to Albania that I struggled, with the names and places. But a good thriller nonetheless. Recommended and as this is the second in series, I intend to read the first.

#TheBodyOnTheShore #NetGalley

This is book 2 in DCI Craig Gillard series. It is slow paced and set in the UK and Albania. The book is well written, a mix of thriller and police procedural and I enjoyed it very much. I would recommend this book to lovers of thrillers. Thank you Net Galley for my copy. Reviewed on Goodreads, Amazon and Facebook.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not my usual genre but will be on the lookout for more of the same.

Will recommend the author to friends and family, and eagerly await more material

A cracking read that grips you from the first to the last sentence in the book. What starts off as two innocent young children being abducted from an English countryside house soon turns into something completely different, add to that a man with a false name being shot through his office window from the top of a double decker bus and you have the start of the thriller that twists and turns and at times almost gets away from DCI Gillard, who is an easy going detective but not the type of man to let any situation get the better of him. But in an unknown country and culture can he trust the colleagues he is assigned to work with? At times it looks like he's bitten off more than he can chew as he gets deeper into the war between two gangs, who will come out of this one alive?

An excellent novel. Well drawn characters.. Pacey, a real page tuner. A standalone novel, and I didn’t feel it detracted that I hadn’t read the first of the Craig Gillard novels, but I intend to do so now. A really good plot. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope Nick writes some more for Craig Gillard. Highy recommended.

I love books where the title has very little to do with the story. Okay the body found is an important link, but, the story is so much more than that. It is a story about Albanian blood feuds. It starts in London and the South East and then moves to Albania. It's interesting, as a police procedural mystery and also about Albania itself - or at least some of the superstions held by people.

I enjoyed it immensly.

I learnt a great deal from this detective story with-a-difference. The crime starts in London and ends in Albania. What I knew about Albania is blurred, but I got a fascinating insight into their history and lifestyle. A little like the GodFather in Italy with their organised crime syndicates. Or the powerful families like the Richardson's and Krays fighting dirty for familial supremacy. Life is cheap, guns are easily accessible, and women are lower forms of humanity. From what I gleaned they are light years off the criteria to qualify for the EU. Peter Young, a young Albanian architect shot on a London street starts the crime journey. Why and how this occurred is the headache of DCI Gillard. At Colsham Manor in Sussex, there are strange symbols distributed - the 3-headed eagle of the Dragusha family in Albania. Sophie and Dag have adopted two Albanian children. In Lincolnshire, an Albanian man is found dead on the beach. What is going on? I must say I liked Dexter the dog - the saliva-splatter analyst. It evoked my concern about the current gangland situations in London. A nail-biting ending. Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo.

Cracking start, with an immmediate assassin hit. Draws the reader in from the first page. The police can’t explain it, and are immediately suspicious of the new South African secretary, who just happens to have a murdered husband. This turns out to be fruitless, and I’m not sure of its place in the story, it doesn’t seem to be needed.
The police are stuck, until events happen that tie in with their murder and they look to the gangs in Albania. Fast forward to Albania and its bleak snow covered landscape. I don’t know much about Albania, so enjoyed the descriptions of the scenery.
The plot then takes on the story of who our original victim was and where he came from. It follows the long feud of two families which eventually comes to a surprising head, in the last few pages.
I would read more of DCI Gillard’s adventures, if I got the chance.

I thought this was so well written, the research must have taken ages but it was all worth it as the information in this story made it so much better. The characters were great with all blending really well together. What a shock towards the end when you discover who did the killing but what was worse was that he did it like it was all so natural. I am really looking forward to the next book as I am sure it will be even better.

The assassination of a budding young architect posses an enigma of why and how seemingly without any clues. When this is followed by the abduction of two young children and the discovery of a body left by the sea in a remote area, a lead is established when they were all revealed to be immigrants from Albania. The detective in finding evidence that the abducted children are being taken to Albania travels there to find them. With the help of the local police the mystery is slowly unravelled. A most interesting and fascinating insight is given of the people and culture of Albania with its clans and blood relationships that leads to never ending feuds helps to solve the mystery.

A successful architect, Peter Young, is assassinated - shot with two bullets through his office window. A body is found on a remote Lincolnshire shore. Two Albanian children, adopted by a wealthy couple, Sophie and Dag Lund, suddenly disappear. Abducted? Are these seemingly unrelated events connected in any way? DCI Craig Gillard was the on-call detective in Surrey when Young was killed. How was Young shot through his 2nd storey office window? From a high vantage point?

Strange symbols are found at the various locations. Geoff Meadows, a former detective chief superintendent at the National Crime Agency is one of the few experts on Albanian crime outside academia. He recognises the symbol as the triple-headed eagle of the Dragusha clan, a notorious Albanian mafia family.

The police investigation will find connections that take Gillard to Albania and become embroiled in the blood feud between the Dragusha and Kreshniki crime families. Assisted by Sergeant Tokaj:

'This is the empire of blood,' Tokaj said, spreading his hands. 'Built on violence, extended through marriage, cemented by corruption and bulwarked by fear.'

Why is Gillard in Albania? Why has he put himself in harm's way? No more spoilers. Read it and find out. The Body on the Shore is different - full of menace and dark moments and a totally unexpected twist that is breathtaking in its audacity.

Police procedural leading to action-packed finale - very good novel

DCI Craig Gillard investigates a murder in Surrey then a kidnapping of two children. He becomes mixed up in gang warfare, more murders (including the body on the shore of the title), finally finding resolution in Albania. There’s a permanent sense of menace throughout and it’s certainly not the most optimistic of books.
With a wide range of developed characters and detailed research, the novel works well, moves along at a steady pace and engages the reader successfully. Lovers of crime fiction should enjoy it. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So we start off with the murder of a young architect at his desk in London which is excellent, and the book has a really cracking ending. I am still unable to see what value was added to having a body on a shore in Lincolnshire, but the book's ending is really good and well described.

DCI Craig Gillard has to deal with all this, and for me the book really comes alive with his trip to Albania. Their culture of gangs certainly has parallels with the Mafia but luckily for Craig he manages to recruit a 'friendly' Albanian policeman.

Bodies everywhere, child abductions all feature heavily, but are well wrapped up in the end.

Not sure what the Albanian Tourist Board would make of this novel?

This book was not what I expected – it was so much more. The Body on The Shore follows the case of a successful young architect who is murdered whilst sat at his desk. The shot clearly came from outside the office where he works but the police are baffled as to how the shot was taken, particularly where from. They are also at a loss to find a motive and struggle to discover anything about the victim’s past. Having arrived in the UK as a refugee from Kosovo and lived with a foster family he had led a good life and lived with his wife and two small children.

Meanwhile, a family living in a manor house in Surrey start to experience some very disturbing events at their home; trespassing, graffiti and break-ins and the appearance of hanging dummy in their grounds. The mother Sophie is desperately protective of her two adopted Albanian children and has to fight to get the police to take her seriously. It is not until Craig Gillard becomes involved in their case that links start to be made to the death of the architect and another in Northern England.

The story evolves into the most incredible and shocking investigation that takes Craig to Albania and frighteningly lose to the Albanian mafia. It becomes a white knuckle ride in his race against time and the most brutal of enemies and is utterly compelling. The author takes us on a journey into a culture I knew nothing about and the result is a fabulous book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I hadn’t read the previous book in the DCI Craig Gillard series but don’t feel that caused any issues in me fully enjoying this book. It is definitely one I recommend. Be warned – everything else in life may take a back seat whilst you read this one!

My thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of #TheBodyOnTheShore in exchange for an honest review

Thoroughly enjoyed this book by Nick Louth.
The story travels from the UK to Albania and winds its way through murders and kidnapping via the Albanian gangs. The main characters are believable and likeable although I'm not too convinced by the senior police woman in the story.
If starts with the shooting of an architect at his desks then moves to the kidnapping of two children who are seemingly unconnected to him. From there to Albania about which country I learned some interesting facts. The twist to the story was unexpected, altogether a good read and I'm going back to read the previous book featuring Craig Gillard, which I guess is a good recommendation!

This gripping novel explores the country of Albania, it's customs and history. That in itself is interesting and certainly makes for a great read, I felt that I actually learnt quite a lot about the mafia like ways in Albania.

This is a really good police procedural drama. It's the second in a series, but, despite not having read the first, I didn't feel that detracted from the story or characters.

DCI Craig Gillard is the main investigator in this book and has a reputation for getting things done. His wife Sam, also a policeman, is wise to the dangers in his job. The characters are very likable and work well together.

A really good story with three seemingly unconnected crimes, a good twist and enough detail and intrigue to keep you guessing.

A well written, fast paced and action packed story! A great sequel to the first and I look forward to many more adventures with DCI Gillard

A story of two halves. DCI Craig Gilllard starts in England and then has to travel to Albania to search for murderers in the Albanian mafia, Great story, with twists and turns and a surprising end.

This was an excellent read, the first part, Book 1, was intriguing and hooked me in very quickly. It then took a completely unexpected twist when it reached Book 2, and Detective Gillard travelled to Albania to try to unravel the very complex mystery, stumbling into a very dangerous viper’s nest of Mafia grudges and organised crime as he did so. The small insight it gave the reader into this hitherto unknown world was fascinating. It clearly must have necessitated a great deal of research into Albania and its murky underbelly. It was fast paced and exciting, though I have to say I was slightly disappointed with the somewhat abrupt ending, hence 4 stars not 5.
However, I would heartily recommend this book, as it was a refreshing departure from the usual ‘whodunnit’ storylines. The characters were well drawn, and the narrative was pacy and exciting, I didn’t want to put it down.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
I will definitely be reading more of this author’s work.

Firstly, I have to admit a small bias as this book is set in Surrey and Albania and, as I know both areas, it added to the picture that this book painted in my mind's eye.

Having said that, I would have enjoyed this book enormously even without that context. An excellently written mysterious crime novel with some excellent twists and turns that had me compulsively turning pages until the very end. Have no idea what is in the author's head but I can see the possibility of a sequel because there are so many hooks to hang that sequel on.

Please don't misunderstand me, this book stands alone and is a first rate piece of writing. If you want a book that draws you in and just will not let you go until its last word, this is going to be the book for you.

The Body on the Shore starts with the murder of architect Peter Young, found at his desk having been shot through his office window. DCI Gillard is trying to figure out who is behind this professional-looking hit when he is contacted by Sophie Lund, a mother of two adopted children, who is being harassed in an increasingly bizarre campaign of incidents around her home. Then another body is found - this time on a Lincolnshire beach, with a brand burnt on his neck - the same symbol that has been found on the Lund's property. Shortly after, Sophie's children go missing, and DCI Gillard, convinced the cases are connected, finds himself up against powerful, violent forces, desperate to save the children's lives - and his own.

I mentioned in my review of The Body in the Marsh how much I enjoy Nick Louth's writing style. The dialogue is believable and realistic, while the storylines are cleverly introduced in a way that gets your brain ticking but doesn't have a hint of predictability. There is a definite complexity to the way Louth writes and leaves you slowly beginning to see the plot winding together. For this book though, I honestly did not see where it was going (and that's all I'll say for fear of spoilers!). For something so intricately written, it is joyously easy to read, and I found myself more engaged with this book than any other crime book I've read recently.

Nick Louth also seems to pick his settings very wisely. The story begins in London but makes its way to Albania. Although I've never been there, it was perfectly described and felt very authentic. There was clearly some excellent research put into this book, which helped it retain its believability and uniqueness. The settings used definitely added some tension and atmosphere to the whole storyline, and I love when that is the case.

My one tiny complaint about this book is that there is occasionally some slightly weird dialogue. I totally understand that it's meant to represent the institution of the police and their not-entirely-PC ways of talking or thinking, but there was the use of a homophobic term, and the repeated use of the term 'jail bait' to talk about teenage girls which just felt really jarring with the rest of the book. Neither was really in keeping with the rest of the book so those things have really stuck with me, which is a shame as it probably isn't what the author intended.

Overall though, this is a dramatic, gripping novel that I really enjoyed reading. I found myself falling deeper into it with every page, becoming more and more engaged with the investigation, and the action doesn't let up. A highly satisfying (and unpredictable!) ending makes this one of the best crime books I've read so far this year.

This was a great book and I was never sure where it was going. It was very easy to read and flowed smoothly regardless of which character the focus was on. I would certainly recommend this book and author to others.

DCI Gillard, called in to investigate the strange murder of Peter Young - a bright London architect, soon discovers that the victim has a “past life”. The mystery deepens when he is sent to look at another body, with similar gunshot wounds, found on a remote east coast beach. Between the two murders he becomes embroiled with Sophi Lund and her two adopted Albanian children. Living on a remote estate they have all become frightened by what appear to be weird objects and sightings and the feeling that they are being almost stalked. When the children are abducted Gillard’s search leads him to Albania and into grave danger as he becomes entangle with rival Mafia-type gangs. A truly gripping, fast paced novel and a great read.

When architect Peter Young is shot dead at his desk in what looks like a professional hit, DCI Craig Gillard must try to discover not only how it happened but, more importantly, why. Several hundred miles away, on the Lincolnshire coast, another body is found, this time with no clue to his identity. How are the two deaths connected and how do they link to a feud that threatens to become even more deadly than Gillard could ever imagine?

The Body on the Shore is the second book in the DCI Craig Gillard series, but it is not essential to have read the first as this can be read as a standalone. I do now, however, want to go back and read the first one, The Body in the Marsh, as this was a book I really enjoyed.

The Body on the Shore is a book full of twists and turns which takes you in directions you did not imagine. Initially, it felt like that it was going to be a straightforward police procedural – body is found, police investigate, culprit is arrested. I could not have been more wrong! While there is definitely an element of this, there is so much more!

It is difficult to say too much without giving away any of the plot and, therefore, spoiling the element of surprise, but what I will say is that The Body on the Shore deals with multiple cases, each one linking together in a highly imaginative way. Murder, abduction and subterfuge abound, making for an original story that kept me hooked until the very end.

DCI Craig Gillard is a great lead character and I was pleased that, although we read a bit about his personal life, this was only a minor part of the story, the focus being placed firmly on the investigation. Hardworking and tenacious, he is definitely the sort of detective I would want working on any case I was involved in!

The Body on the Shore is a brilliant, fast-paced read. Highly recommended!

What started out as distinctly average, littered with seemingly irrelevant details to need it out a bit, ended up being a gripping page-turner. This would have made a great BBC crime drama! Several stories weave in and out and finally come together with a brilliant twist.

I do have a soft spot for a police procedural and really enjoyed reading this when on holiday. I've not read any Nick Louth books before but will definitely read more. I really enjoyed how things fell into place in this book and it really did expand my knowledge of Albani. I like the character of Craig Gillard and enjoyed the realistic way the characters were developed. This was a mix of psychological thriller and police investigation and well worth reading.

An engaging introduction that leads straight into the crime.
You assume DCI Craig Gillard and Detective Inspector Claire Mulholland will successfully solve the first murder they encounter and you are also led to wonder about the possibility of a developing relationship, when things become more complicated and this turns out to be a really good read.
Although the identity of the perpetrator could be a bit unbelievable Louth includes enough background to substantiate this and you experience quite a turmoil of emotions at the end.

A definite recommend for fans of mystery detective thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book and found it difficult to put down. An interesting story with believable insights into the plight of refugees and family loyalties in other countries. Definitely recommended.

I did not realise this is one of a series of DCI Gillard books and that doesn't matter as it is a stand alone story that I found myself quickly absorbed in. 2 murders, 2 adopted children and a series of strange events has the DCI trying to find if there if there is a connection. With a few red herrings and the trail leading to Albania and the mafia there I knew the case was coming to a conclusion but the final twist took me by surprise. A great read!

This was a very interesting and complex read. From an unrelated murder at the start of the book we are led onto organised crime and family vendettas in another. The lead character was brilliantly portrayed and the chapters abroad were really remarkable about life in a culture we know very little about. I would highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading more by this author. It was a brilliant story line and told to perfection.

A very different and unexpectedly transcontinental crime novel. I felt many of the characters lacked depth and personality. Intriguing but far from outstanding

A really intriguing read,, great characters interwoven in an interesting storyline, kept me hooked from
Beginning to end, I really enjoyed it

Wow brilliant read, most definitely a book to be read, Nick Louth certainly knows how to keep you hooked, it’s a really excellent crime book, one I am glad not to have missed. Unfortunately I do not ever give a spoiler to any book. You really really just have to read it, you will not regret it

So twisted and clever! This story keeps you on tenterhooks as the story takes different turns and you just don't see everything you need to! Gripping!

Very good. I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the main characters and the locations were very well described. It was definitely a different type of crime novel that felt fresh.

A great second instalment of this series from Nick Louth, set in both England and Albania. Fast paced and exciting, we meet DCI Gillard who, although more mellow, still maintains his indefatigable spirit and professionalism.

I did not realise that this was not a 'stand alone' book but part of a series. It did not matter. The story moves along at a pace and all the various strands are bought together very satisfactorily. As others have mentioned the twist at the end is one that you do not see coming, Interesting to read about organised crime in Albania that was well researched.

I started this book and only put it down because I failed my battle with sleep. The next morning I finished it. The storyline is original with a few twists you don't see coming. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it engaged me & kept my interest all the way through. I found the storyline plausible & the characters believable. I'll certainly look out for any more books in this series; there's a couple references made to a previous case in this book. Would recommend this to any crime fiction fan.

Wow a sizzler of a book, kept you guessing the whole way through. Definately a page turner, with plenty of twists to the tale. Was sorry when it ended.

This fantastic cop story swept me along as I followed Gillard and his colleagues working their socks up to keep up with the action. The initial setting in "leafy Surrey" and an upmarket architectural practice where it seems as if nothing could ever go really badly wrong, lulled me into a sense of "this is easily solved" before dumping me straight into a frightening and unfamiliar culture where lawlessness is everywhere and old feuds rule. I couldn't put it down. I learnt a lot about the Albanian mafioso and found it all entirely believable - and quite chilling.

Fast paced, sends you to area of the world that are probably best not visited. Very cleverly intertwined. Relationships aren't always obvious and become clear right at the end. Sinister.

An excellent, fast paced, well written book, full of twists and turns with a very surprising end. A real page turner that will be hard to put down.

What can I say to recommend this brilliantly written book? I loved it, full of twists and turns with murders many miles apart, yet linked and two children are taken from their home. Set in winter across two countries with family loyalties that pass through generations. Enjoy a great read.

An exciting gripping read. The death of an architect in his UK office leads to a thrilling investigation for DI Craig Gillard . A complex case which takes the investigation to overseas countries.

A Surrey detective investigates the muder of an architect at his desk in outer London. It emerges that the victim was a refugee from Albania; there follows the finding of a body on the Lincolnshire coast and the kidnapping of two children who are adoptees of Albanian origin. A connection to an Albanian mafia family is established and the action moves to Albania where a bloody conclusion takes place. The perpetrator of the original crime will surprise you when they are revealed. Fast moving page-turner.

The Body on the Shore is an exciting and well constructed crime thriller. DCI Craig Gillard and his team are called to investigate the shooting of an architect, this investigation escalates into so much more when a body is discovered on a beach and two young children are abducted, links are found that tie each case together. It appears the Albanian mafia are at the root of these crimes.
With lots of twists turns and surprises and a cast of great characters this is a cracking read.
When Gillard has to travel to Albania to meet up with their police to aid with his investigation he meets all manner of opposition. The descriptions of Albania and its people and culture are excellent.
DCI Gillard is a really likeable person, I particularly enjoyed his interaction with his colleagues, seniors and wife.
An absorbing read, this has the makings of a great series.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for opportunity to review this book honestly.