Where the Dead Fall

There can be nothing more satisfying than starting a book that you know is going to be good and it turns out to be so very much better than you could ever expect. I was thrilled to receive the arc of this second instalment of the DI Ridpath series as I loved the first book ...well this one is just bloody brilliant !!
The writing is just superb, full of northern humour and as with the last book a plot line that is both complex and full of twists, Ridpath (my favourite character) is fighting his own demons and throws himself full on into the case as always but to say more about the story would spoil it. If you love an excellent thriller with one hell of a great ending, a police procedural with a difference, characters that’s are well rounded and believable then you really do have it all here and if you haven’t read the first book I would urge you to try before you read this one these are books not to missed out on. So I loved the book and am sad to finish it and look forward to reading more from the wonderful MJ Lee please write fast as I need the next book now !!!
My thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Canelo for the ARC.
I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to review this second DI Ridpath story, having really enjoyed the first. This, may I say, is even better. DI Ridpath, part of the Greater Manchester Major Incident Team, is working for Mrs Challinor the Coroner, and continuing his hospital check-ups for a cancer which is now in remission. He is temporarily estranged from his wife and daughter but one April afternoon, on his way to meet them for an evening together, he's involved in a motorway accident on the M60. An almost naked young man is running all over the lanes of traffic and Ridpath, although braking just in time to avoid hitting him, witnesses him stepping into the path of an articulated lorry. Glancing up he is sure he sees an armed pursuer on the embankment.
Poor old Ridpath - he's hacked-off the traffic division by closing the M60 on a match day, as well as the Armed Response Unit who searched for the gunman; his MIT DCI Charlie Whitworth can hardly believe the chaos he's caused, and then there is the fact of disappointing his daughter.
Back at the Coroner's office Ridpath has a lot of catching up to do; an inquest is to be opened on a young man found apparently drowned in a park lake the week before but the new pathologist concludes it was murder.
The story takes us into the realms of gangland Manchester where the bosses are legitimising their enterprises and living in relative harmony. So what can you expect when a son of each rival gang boss has been found to have been murdered?
Ridpath has a fine line to walk between the MIT and the Coroner's Office and gradually makes connections between the deaths. Of course he does! This is very cleverly written, and you really don't see that ending coming. There is misdirection, and the final twist - well - you really should read it!

This is my first Ridpath novel, and it was a good one! I don't read a lot of mysteries, but I enjoyed this. Excellent plot with tasty twists, including well-written heart pounding segments, and a great ending. The characters were well-crafted, and had good dialog. The author is obviously very talented, and I look forward to his next work (after I circle back to the previous in the series). Recommended.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!

This is the second book in M J Lee's DI Ridpath series, which is different to the majority of British crime fiction but only in good ways. Ridpath, even his wife only ever uses his surname, is, as many before him, a troubled soul, but, thank goodness, not because of the job.

The previous book revolved around a number of abductions and, to begin with, I thought this was set along similar lines. I was very quickly proved wrong. This time the storyline centres around a death which happens right in front of Ridpath pushing him into the middle of trying to prevent a gang war with the potential to shatter a truce held for decades.

Although a high ranking officer, Ridpath is seconded to the coroner's office and this continues to add a fascinating additional level to his story, all of which is obviously researched in detail. He is still linked closely to his police colleagues however, and so the two separate departmental investigations are covered equally in this first rate story.  Ridpath's private life is a vital part of how he functions and the way it colours and directs his behaviour as a serving member of the police force is given just the right amount of story time.

This is fast moving storytelling shown from a variety of perspectives but always with Ridpath as the main protagonist. The conclusion is brilliantly presented reminding me of a Perry Masonesque scene but with British abruptness and I loved it.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it highly to anyone who read the first book or who wants an original slant to the crime genre. It is worth mentioning that there are serious spoilers to the original book, so it may be worth reading that first, it also was excellent.

A gripping and intense read. I was very excited to start this one since the blurb had fascinated me.

It was an easy book to read, the characters were interesting and I wanted to know more about them, the more the story went on.
I would recommend this book to my friends!

I’d like to thank Canelo and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Where The Dead Fall’ by M J Lee in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

DI Thomas Ridpath is driving along the M60 during rush hour when a man wearing only blue boxer shorts runs into the busy motorway and is struck by an articulated lorry. As this is happening Ridpath catches sight of a hooded gunman standing by the side of the road but when the police arrive he’s nowhere to be seen. Ridpath is convinced he hasn’t imagined the man but the officers from Greater Manchester Police’s MIT unit aren’t convinced.

‘Where The Dead Fall’ is the sequel to ‘Where The Truth Lies’ featuring DI Ridpath and continues his secondment to the Coroner’s Office following remission from cancer. It has a fast-paced start with Ridpath driving home to see his estranged wife Polly and daughter Eve, his closing the motorway as a crime scene and being blamed for causing a four hour traffic jam which doesn’t endear him to his colleagues. It’s exciting, full of suspense, with an interesting plot, lots of suspects, twists and turns, and a gripping conclusion. I've just one comment to make, if this is the last we hear of Ridpath I need to know what happens with his private life as we’re left with an ultimatum. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading this thriller so please can we have a third?

From page one this crime thriller packed one hell of a punch, it didn't even lull you into a false sense of security which got the heart racing and myself as the reader completely and utterly gripped! It begins with a prologue type chapter from an individual who has been kidnapped and is trying to escape. From that point the book was an almighty rollercoaster of twists.

The chapters are labelled in days of an investigation which allows you to keep up to date with the sequence of events as it unfolds, with a dual type narrative that gave breadcrumbs of details that kept you hooked on every word. What a whirlwind. I completely fell in love with detective inspector Thomas Ridpath who has recently been through the ringer, he's intelligent and I admired him for sticking to his detective guns when everyone else was trying to brush off his thoughts on a case of a death and a man with a gun on the motorway! He has recently gone back to work after having treatment for cancer, I think a lot of his team are brushing him off and his ability to remember things correctly is constantly questioned, this is partly due to his colleagues thinking what he saw was down to stress and / or the drugs he takes, I think this pushes him to show he can still do his job; cancer remission or not.

I liked that MJ Lee has research things that may seem trivial, for instance the way MIT is set up, as well as forensic pathology. This, for me allows a sense of authenticity within the novel, although I know all crime thriller writers research this type of thing, MJ appears to have fully emerged himself into making sure aspects are factually correct. This reader really appreciated that attention to detail! Thank-you!

Now we have our hero, now the villains; well aren't they another slice of evil? I felt that they were pretty much masterminds of crime and murder. The perfect ratio of light and dark in this action packed crime thriller, the more you dig into the storyline the more you can feel yourself getting sucked in to its fast paced cat and mouse type narrative. It's very excellent!

Where The Dead Fall is an enjoyably compelling read filled to the brim with surprises and twists. This is a crime thriller not to be missed!

Where The Dead Falls M.J. Lee

DI Tom Ridpath is an unusual main character for a crime series.

Separated from a wife who still loves and cares for him, missing his daughter, and recovering from cancer. He has a strange job. Having had months off with his illness he has been seconded to the Coroner’s Office, and is tasked with investigating deaths which are suspicious in more ways than just the common murders encountered in most books.

This has brought him into conflict with his colleagues on the Major Investigation Team of Greater Manchester Police in the past, but he is determined to prove he is fit to return to the team.

Keeping in the spirit of originality the story has a cracking opening scene. As Ridpath is driving home through the early evening rush on the motorway a naked man runs out in front of him. Ridpath stops in time but the man is hit and killed seconds later.

Amongst the horror of the accident Ridpath sees a man on the hard shoulder holding a gun, but he is gone in an instance and no sign of him is left behind, and nobody else saw him.

Sticking to his guns Ridpath closes the Motorway at its busiest time and suffers the wrath of the traffic police.

All this in the first few pages.

What follows is a great story as Ridpath tries to identify the mystery man, if he ever existed, and find out why he was chasing the naked man onto a busy motorway.

It’s not long before another death occurs and puts Manchester on the edge of a gang war.

Working as a Coroners Officer Ridpath tries to engage his old team but not everybody wants him back.

This is a great story. Ridpath is a great character and MJ Lee has a really good way of bringing the story to life.

Ridpath’s frustrations at being side lined are almost palpable. The scenes are vividly described as are the victims and perpetrators.

Can anybody stop Manchester erupting into violence, not if they don’t start working together.

This is a really good read. Roll on the next book in the Ridpath series

Pages: 344
Publishing date: 11th April 2019

Thank you net galley. this was a very satisfying read. I liked it very much and recommend it highly. I look forward to other DI Ridpath novels.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read the second book featuring DI Ridpath. I have loved both these books, it is nice to come across such a flawed and vulnerable character who you warm too instantly. The reader is always hoping for the best results for this perceived underdog. I would definitely recommend this to any reader and I hope that this series goes on and on.

This is the second book in the D I Ridpath series and I will be reading the first now as it was an exciting read and I couldn’t put it down. The characters were well rounded and realistic and as the novel is based in Manchester, it had even more appeal.

D I Ridpath is part of the Greater Manchester Major Incident Team (MIT) and has been seconded to the coroner’s office. He has returned to work after fighting cancer, which is now in remission but plays a huge part in his life. As the story begins he is estranged from his wife and daughter although he is driving on the M60 to meet them.

He becomes involved in an incident when an almost naked man runs out in front of him and is run over by a lorry. Ridpath is the only one to see that a man with a gun was chasing the victim and some of his colleagues doubt the validity of his statement.

As other victims turn up Ridpath begins to see a connection and MIT find themselves in the centre of a gangland war. His perseverance and belief in himself is brilliant.

Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo and M J Lee for my ARC in return for my honest review.

Enthralling read, highly recommended.

This is the second book and also the second featuring my favourite character, D I Ridpath by M J Lee. It is a Wednesday evening when Ridpath is driving on the M6 and a naked man runs into the path of his car. Ridpath manages to stop in time but a lorry in the next lane runs him over. Looking around wondering where he had come from, Ridpath noticed a gunman was chasing him. The M6 is cordoned off. But the gunman had disappeared. What makes matter worse, his superiors and colleagues do not believe him. A brilliant story and I cannot wait for the next novel with Ridpath. A must read!!!!!!!

Our favourite DI is back. Thomas Ridpath is in remission, his family is living apart and he is still working with the coroner. So when he is involved in witnessing a traffic accident everything comes crashing down. He knows what he saw but the his bosses don't believe him. He knows that this wasn't just a young man on drugs that was scared and ran into traffic. He knows what he saw there was a man with a gun chasing him. But no other witness saw the man and he has been warned to stay away from the case but when he finds out that his other case could be linked he can't just let it go. He has to help an old lady bury her grandson and when he sees photos of the victim he can't believe it, it is his suspect but how is that possible. Can Ridpath find the answers that he is looking for before more young man land up on a slab. He knows that the cases have nothing to do with the local gangs as they have made a pact that has lasts many years so why now?
He knows that he has to work on getting his family back and take better care of himself but he can't let go of this case he just has to prove to his bosses that he has found the link between them all.
Will Ridpath be able to redeem himself? A great read. Full of twists and turns. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

Another thoroughly enjoyable story of DI/coroner officer Ridpath. Starts off at 100 mph and never relents the deaths pile up, the disbelief in our hero by all sides doesn't stop his investigation. Despite suffering from the after effects of his cancer treatment and pursuing a lifestyle not recommended by his doctor plus his attempts to get back with his wife he continues doggedly the chase encouraged on one side by the coroner but discouraged by senior police officers the action builds to a courtroom climax and shock revelation. Gangsters and gritty Manchester scenery all combine in a well constructed tale and hopefully there will be more!

A bit slow to get into but once you persevere the story does grip.

DI Ridulph is back in is job at the coroners office and is tasked with investigating the death of a young man found facedown in a lake whose death is ruled as inclusive, was it murder or a sad case of suicide ?

D.I. Ridpath is driving home when a man clothed only in blue boxer shorts runs in front of his car. Ridpath manages to stop the car but the man sees someone watching him, panics and runs into a lorry where he is killed instantly. The man is a family member of a gangland leader Michael Connelly and before anyone knows what is happening Manchester is on the brink of a gang war.
D.I. Ridpath is involved in doing his job as Coroner's Officer , helping the police as well as trying to get his marriage back on track.
This is a great fast page turning read and would highly recommend it.

This is a new author for me so wasn't sure what to expect. I enjoyed the story but I didn't realise it was the second book in a series and I wish I had read the first book first to get a bit of background on the characters, especially DI Ridpath who seems a very interesting character! It was a fast paced storyline but it had a lot of twists and turns that made me dizzy at times. I will definitely look to read the first book in the series now. All in all a great read and I just love discovering a great new author.

Really enjoyed catching up with this bunch of characters. Fast paced police thriller, gang warfare and old feuds. Great stuff,more please.

This is the second book in the series with D I Ridpath and what an excellent book.

I must say I hadn’t a clue who was behind it all and why and we are left wondering why no one saw the naked man and gunman on the motorway, only Ridpath and no-one believed him.

As the story moves forward, I was getting more and more concerned about Ridpaths health and whether his cancer had returned. He is not a well man and the constant pressure to do his job and find the murderer is crushing him.

This coupled with his wife and daughter and the fact that they are estranged leaves poor old Ridpath in a dilemma. What does he do? I hope there’s another book that will let us know.

There are some new characters in this book and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it, and of course, coming from Manchester it was all familiar to me.

My thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for the ARC.

It really shouldn't have happened. DI Ridpath, conscious that his relationship with his wife and child is hanging by a thread, is off to collect them at his mother-in-law's house for an evening out. Traffic was heavy on the M60 (a match at Old Trafford wasn't helping) but it was moving steadily. Then a man wearing only a pair of blue boxers dashed out into the traffic, briefly put his hands on Ridpath's car then ran into the path of an articulated lorry. The driver had no chance of stopping and the naked man was killed instantly. Glancing to the hard shoulder Ridpath glimpsed a man with a gun. This was now a crime scene and the resulting seventeen-mile tail back of traffic would be the least of Ridpath's worries, although no one would let him forget about it in a hurry.

Ridpath's in a strange position. Technically he's part of the Major Incident Team, but he's not that long back from extended sick leave and he's been sidelined into a job as Coroner's Officer. Only Ridpath is incapable of looking the other way, of restricting himself to what will pass muster, serve his current job and leave the rest be. He's the only one who's seen the gunman on the M60 but he's not going to let anyone suggest that perhaps, just perhaps he was mistaken.

There's a new head of the Major Incident Team - Claire Trent. She's immaculate and well groomed but she knows her job, although DCI Charlie Whitworth can't see that it's right. He was expecting to get the job. It's not the fact that Trent is a woman - he's not a misogynist, for heaven's sake. He puts a lot of value on the women in the job: he doesn't know how he'd manage without Christie who's on the support staff.

It's a good story. Manchester comes gloriously to life, including the bits the mayor and his cohorts would prefer that you didn't see. You get a real sense of what it's like trying to police a city that diverse and with a gang culture which is constantly on the verge of bubbling over into open warfare. M J Lee does an excellent job of bringing it to life and making it realistic. Characterisation is good too: even relatively minor characters come off the page well.

It's the plot you want to know about though, isn't it? It's good and not at all predictable. I had my own views as to who the wrong 'un was but got it completely wrong. This story is completely wrapped up, but it ends on one helluva cliffhanger. If you enjoy this book you will have to read the next in the series.

I'd like to thank the publishers for making a review copy available to the Bookbag. Where the Dead Fall reads perfectly well as a standalone, but you'll have a better feel for the characters if you read the first book in the series.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read book two of this brilliant series

ridpath still recovering from his brush with cancer is still working for the coroner...even though his heart is back at the station with his colleagues....

on the way home a man runs out into the path of his car...how he managed to not get hit but no sooner as ridpath stopped the car he sees a man out of the corner of his eye with a gun...the near naked man in front of his car looks and then begins to run but is hit by an artic lorry and dies.....

and so begins a brilliant story of how ridpath brings to halt a busy motorway lane and becomes popular with several counties...he is considered a laughing stock until the post mortem is done and the dead man is identified....

its then a race against time

what a story...i am loving this author and how he writes...cant wait for the next one in this series

A sequel to the previous Redpath book, and what a great series. I enjoyed this one as much as the first and the other works by the author that I have read, his superb Inspector Danilov series.

Excellent plot and great characters, I recommend it to fans of detective fiction, as well as the auhtors other books too! You know you'll get a good read from MJ Lee, and this one is no different.

Thank you NetGalley and Canelo for this arc.

This is the 2nd in the DI Ridpath series and even better than the 1st. I didn't notice any of the obvious plot contrivances and implausibilities that I found in the earlier book. This also had a nice twisty, twisty plot. It started off a little slow with 3 seemingly disparate death investigations, one of which Ridpath shouldn't have even been involved with, except he was the main witness. Poor Ridpath didn't seem to know who was his primary boss in this one and kept bobbling between the Coroner's office, the DCI of the MIT and his former MIT supervisor ( who was trying to run around the DCI). So the same office politics and gamesmanship as before, just some different positions. The pace did accelerate with seemingly disparate death # 4 and Ridpath kicked into high gear in his investigations.

I was a little frustrated with the "cliff-hanger" ending however and am waiting on the next book (I hope) to see how that resolves.

Before I read this I read the first one and I'm glad I did, I got to know Ridpath and his colleagues. I actually preferred this book and was racing through it to find out how they'd tie all the murders together. It's also left me hoping there's another but at the same time that may mean his marriage is over so I don't want that.

This is the second instalment for DI Ridpath, after recovering from cancer and moved from Manchester MIT unit to the coroners office also his wife and daughter leaving him, Ridpath was really not doing very well.
On a evening drive home to see his daughter Ridpath was driving along the M60 a semi naked man ran out in front of him, he managed to stop in time but the man was hit in the next lane by a lorry and was killed instantly.
This book has so many twists and turns that will leave your head spinning.

I was fortunate enough to read the first book in this series and was very impressed with the characters and storyline. So I was rather ecstatic when I saw the second book in the series listed. I was very happy to see that M J Lee had been given another opportunity and was even more happy that I was given the chance to read this one too. Sometimes the second book in a series can be a bit of a let down after the first, especially if the first one is really good, like this one was. However, Where the Dead Fall was just as good, if not better, than the first book! I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the main character is a Coroner’s Officer and DI Ridpath is just so interesting. He loves his job so much he will literally nearly kill himself doing it. That’s dedication for you.

Great read - bravo Mr Lee.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of Where the Dead Fall, the second novel to feature Manchester based DI Ridpath.

On his way back from a training course Ridpath is forced to brake suddenly by the appearance of a young man running across the motorway, only for him to be hit by a lorry who couldn’t stop. Ridpath believes he saw a gunman chasing the young man and shuts down the motorway as a crime scene. Unfortunately this causes a gridlock and calls Ridpath’s judgement into question as no one else saw the gunman.

I thoroughly enjoyed Where the Dead Fall which is a compulsive read, full of twists and turns as the bodies pile up. It is Ridpath’s story as he struggles with the politics of policing and his own personal problems but it also gives the perspective of other detectives and the killer. This latter is intriguing as they are mission driven but there are no hints as to the mission until very late in the novel. I like the pace of the novel which is brisk and fast moving with few dull moments and an ever changing landscape. The novel is interesting when it comes to the politics of policing. It seems to be every man for himself (or woman) so I particularly enjoyed the politics in the motorway shutdown scene. The new head of MIT, Claire Trent, constructs her own narrative which conveniently puts all the blame on Ridpath until it can’t. It seems very realistic to me.

Ridpath is a good protagonist with an interesting quirk (it wouldn’t be crime fiction without a hook for the protagonist). He is a smart detective with good instincts and was a rising star in MIT until he got cancer. Now in remission he was transferred to the Coroner’s office as a way of easing him back into work. Well, that was the plan but he’s still investigating, often on his own as Trent isn’t particularly receptive to his theories. He also has marital problems, mostly related to his commitment to work and inability to look after his health.

Where the Dead Fall is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

DI Ridpath is back but still not back in the job he loves. Although now seconded to the Coroners Office he still manages to get involved in a major crime investigation. When a semi-naked man runs onto the motorway in front of his car before stepping in front of a lorry, Ridpath cannot accept that it was a suicide - particularly as Ridpath had spotted a gunman on the embankment only seconds before.

Fast paced and dramatic this is a crime series that I am reall6 starting to love.

A well balanced book. There is enough about the detectives - and other professionals - to make them human, but you're not swamped with their personal lives, which detracts from the story. DI Ridpath is still attached to the coroner's office rather than the Major Incident Unit after his sick leave for cancer. Again he provides the link in helping solve crimes where knowledge of the coroner's office and police work is useful.

The second installement of of DI Ridpath in the coroner's office and it is as strong as the first.

Two good opening chapters that really captured my attention. It held my attention and I picked it up at every opportunity. We get a good sense of who DI Ridpath is just in time for him to almost run over a man naked, except for his boxers, in the middle of the M60 motorway.

Where the Dead Fall is a police procedural and it does get a bit procedural at times. Plenty of jargon, not just police but coroner's for good measure. No idea how accurate it all is but the story kept me hooked and, to me, it read as if MJ Lee had done the research.

Who is the gunman (only seen by Ridpath) chasing the under-clothed victim, who were his captors and why do they want to start a gang war? All is revealed as Ridpath and his colleagues painstakingly assemble the pieces of the jigsaw.

A good cliffhanger at the end and I'd be interested to read the next installment.

ARC courtesy Netgalley.

Very gripping thriller with a realistic storyline. Could well be a true story really well told it’s so believable all the way through. Good main characters as well as subordinate characters adding to the realism. End not rushed as can be normal with some thrillers. Looking forward to reading more in what surely will be a series.

Really enjoyed this book - there has been this gradual shift in gritty Northern set crime thrillers away from the cosmopolitan London scene; due in parts to the work of Line of Duty but big novels by A. A. Dhand and Joseph Knox has shown that readers of crime novels and that is a big market wants to read about other areas.

MJ Lee has woven a gripping novel that zips along, I found myself reading it in four large chunks - characters are rendered efficiently and the main protagonist of DI Ridpath is a sympathetic character to get behind.

Painting a picture of Manchester as one of back streets, canals and hidden worlds and one driven by a love of truth and football (are you red or blue?) this is a great addition to the DI Ridpath series, while this is the 2nd in the series (I have not yet written the first but started), it feels like a character you can drop in and out on much like the famous Reacher/Rebus novels (oh they are all R surnames odd).

Out in April, be sure to grab it for your holiday read as you will not be disappointed.

The second in this series and even better than the first one, which was brilliant. I love the characters in these books. The plotting of this was brilliant. I await the next book.

Crikey, it's rare that a book is even better than you think it's going to be, but this was. I'd loved the first book and this was just as good If not better. Slightly complicated in terms of numbers of characters but provided you keep that straight, it's great. Beautifully poised for yet another sequel which is a relief as I'd been a bit worried....

I really enjoyed this book. I took a couple of chapters to get into it and I felt that it was almost an "old fashioned" detective story as the main character and the rest of his police colleagues work to discover the answers. I felt that it was easy to identify with the characters and to feel involved with the events. The story was fairly complex and the rival gangs and therefore a fair number of characters, were working through the story.
If this is the beginning of a series, that is great to hear.
I am happy to recommend this book

Another five star for this author,continuing with his detective series. Again,there is a complex plot with all sorts of hints designed to make the reader think the outcome has been guessed. Wrong! There is nothing obvious about this ending but it fits the plot superbly. The least of it is the dysfunctional family setup so many fictional detectives are given but that is irrelevant to the storyline. The fact that this detective has a serious illness gives another interesting slant to what's going on. As before,I recommend this strongly. I read it very quickly!

Where the Dead Fall is an extremely good thriller, although not having read the previous Ridpath book in this series that in no way spoilt my enjoyment and did not cause any confusion. This is a fast paced exciting story.
D.I.Ridpath is now working in the Coroners office, in remission from cancer and sidelined from his role in the Murder Investigation Team, also separated from his wife and daughter, thinking things can’t become any worse whilst travelling on the M60 on his way to see his daughter a semi naked an runs out in front of his car, although Ridpath breaks in time the terrified man continues running and is hit and killed by a large lorry. During this event Ridpath sees another person behind the barrier with a gun in his hand. No one else witnesses this man and he has a hard time convincing his previous colleagues that he did see this man.
As he starts to investigate this incident all manner of things are thrown up, linking this person to two previous murders and also major criminal gangs in Manchester.
A rollercoaster of a read, well written with a cast of well rounded characters, good and bad. Great plot line and an ending I didn’t see coming. Well done, roll on the next, I’m going back to read the first book and probably loose more sleep unable to put it down!
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

I really enjoyed catching up with Ridpath and co in the second book of the series and look forward to the next one. Plenty of twists and turns to keep me enthralled. Would definitely recommend this this novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Thanks to Net Galley and Canelo. I was very happy to receive an ARC for D I Ridpath's next 'adventure'. He is still working for the Mrs Challinor at the Coroner's Office after being seconded from the MIT due to failing health, but still wanting to be part of a testing investigation into the war between rival gangs. This second story moves very fast, with never a dull moment. Ridpath is very likable and his connection to the Coroner's Office makes him different from the rest. Like 'Where The Truth Lies', 'Where the Dead Fall is compelling and unputdownable and I would recommend it highly, another great read from M J Lee. I sincerely hope there will be a third.

What a cracking read, it’s no secret that I love a good psychological thriller, I have read lots and this is up there with the best. A fast paced,gripping, and hard to put down 2nd instalment in the DI Ridpath series kept me interested until the end. A great plot and interesting back story for the main characters. I don’t like to give a lot a way about the story, my advice is give it a read, and I don’t think it’s necessary to have read the first DI Ridpath book either.

5 stars

Driving along the M60, on the way to see his daughter and estranged wife, D I Ridpath finds himself caught up in a bizarre road accident when a near-naked man steps in front of his car before being killed by an articulated lorry. Noticing a man carrying a gun, standing at the side of the motorway, Ridpath is perplexed when nobody else seems to have seen him and CCTV doesn’t appear to have picked him up either. With his health a constant issue and the gangs of Manchester seemingly showing unrest, this looks like being a very testing case for the coroner’s officer.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series (Where the Truth Lies) and I couldn’t wait to see if I would be equally impressed with its follow-up. I am pleased to say that Where the Dead Fall is just as good, if not better! Ridpath is a great character and I like how his work for the coroner’s office gives a different slant on the standard police procedural. Despite my liking for him, though, with regards to his health condition, he is infuriating! With a serious illness hanging over him, and a marriage which is hanging by a thread, on several occasions I found myself imploring him to get to the hospital before something serious happened!

Set in Manchester, a city which is virtually unrecognisable from when it was known as ‘Gunchester’ in the 1990s, the author has shown how easy it is for a place to go back to its old ways. By pitting various gangs against each other, he has created a ticking time bomb that the police are desperate to extinguish before there is any more loss of life. Of course, there is more to this case than meets the eye, and Ridpath does a great job in fathoming out what is really happening.

Where the Dead Fall has a clever plot and was one of those books that I did not want to put down. This has the potential to be one of my favourite series and I’m already looking forward to the third instalment.

With thanks to Canelo and Net Galley for my ARC.

First encounter with DI Ridpath, who appears to have troubled times in the recent past and a sideways step to the Coroners office to aid his recovery doesn’t stop him from using his investigative skills. A good story but the end leaves the reader wondering given the choice he has to make, will this be the last of DI Ridpath?

An interesting crime novel.
Main protagonist DI Redpath has moved to the coroner’s office and is recovering from cancer.
Quite a few twists and turns in the story, including his relationship with his wife who has left him..
A story about gangs and how someone is killing their members. Trying to make them have a gang war.
Fast paced and exciting storyline.
I would recommend this book and hope there is a follow up

I really like Ridpath and his dedication to his work. He reminds me of someone I knew years ago and who I would have wanted investigating if I had been a victim of crime. At the same time it has to be said he would be a bit of a nightmare to be married to. In this second book of the series he is juggling somewhat unsuccessfully with the demands of his home life, his health and his work. In terms of his work, I like that he is seconded to the coroner’s office and you get a slightly different viewpoint of the enquiry than the more usual police investigation. I hope there’s more to come from DI Ridpath.

The second book featuring DI Ridpath and even more enjoyable than the first.

DI Ridpath is actually on secondment to the Coroner's Office, from the Major Incident Team in Manchester. He is actually recovering from cancer, and to be honest it's good to see someone actually recovering from a serious illness whilst working at the same time, very refreshing.

Ridpath is on his way to see his daughter (recently separated from his wife after she nursed him through his illness) when, during a traffic jam a man only wearing a pair of boxer shorts runs into the road, leans on Ridpath's car, glances back to the bank and then carries on running to be hit by a lorry. Ridpath turns round to see what the man was looking at.....

There is also an inquest to be sorted for a man who appears to have committed suicide, or is all as it seems to be??

Really well written book, enjoyable to read, good characters. Can't wait to read the next one.

Highly recommended

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Having read many, many books - lots of which have been police crime stories - I know that some stories grip me after 10%, some take 25% or even 50% of the book before I get the feeling 'I cant wait to read and read and find out how, why etc.
This book is different - I was 90% through and then it really got through to me. The last chapters, in my opinion, are superbly written and full of emotion and tension. On the other hand I found the bulk of the book to be lacking something that made me want to just sit and read. It appears that DI Ridpath is the only policeman in Greater Manchester who can adopt lateral thinking and did and dig. All others just seem to want a prima facia case or where you cannot take an alternative view without knowing all the facts,
Before reading this second in the series I did get the first book which to be fair I probably enjoyed more although the same DI Redpath V All GMP did prevail.
Still a good book and I will probably read the third book subject to his career v family dilemma

DI Ridpath Book 2

Manchester has been at peace for twenty years and DI Ridpath is in the process of getting his life back together when everything goes wrong. Driving to meet his daughter, he is caught in a horrific motorway accident, in which a near naked man is run down by a lorry, while fleeing from a lone gunman. Why did no one else witness the gunman?

This is another gripping read from the author M J Lee. I like the main character Thomas Ridpath for several reasons: he's loyal, even though he is fighting his own demons, he's someone I would want fighting in my corner if I was ever to get into trouble. There is a lot going on in the story and I just had to keep turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. I don't want to say much more as I don't want to spoil the story for you. Do yourself a favour and get yourself a copy of this terrific read. I do advise that you read the first book in this series if you haven't already, though it can be read as a standalone.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Canelo and the author M J Lee for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting read, I really enjoyed this story, despite not having read the first in the series. I will now have to rectify that. However this works well as an individual story, as the author has provided enough of Ridpath’s back story to fill in the gaps. The story gets off to a galloping start with the motorway incident, and it was intriguing how the crimes and criminals connected with each other, and were eventually correctly solved, like peeling an onion, layer by layer.
I found the connection between MIT and the Coroner’s office to be fascinating, not having realised quite how much the two departments could be mutually involved.
The characterisation is excellent, Ridpath struggles with so much in his life, personal, work and poor health, it’s surprising that he continues to function at all.
I felt Ridpath’s pain and dread on his regular visit to his oncologist, it was so well described. His feelings of sympathy for his fellow sufferers illustrates his humanity.
He manages somehow to find sufficient energy to continue in his determination to solve the case, but at a personal cost.
I will look for more work by this author, and I recommend this book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advance copy.

Interesting read. I found the pace not as fast as the first book but it was an exciting read and I am looking forward to seeing how this character develops. Definitely recommend #NetGalley#WhereTheDeadFall

DI Ridpath never fails to capture me into the stories! Another excellent offering from M J Lee with the life of a police officer trying to solve a crime but the personal element as well.

Driving down a very busy motorway to meet his wife and daughter, DI Thomas Ridpath is stunned when a near naked man runs into his lane. He sees a man with a gun on the bank.

A cracking start to a very good detective story. I quickly felt that I was in safe hands with the writer, and the story whizzed along. I very much enjoyed it.

Though second in a series it worked as a standalone novel.

This is the first Ridpath book I've read. Would recommend reading the first installment before this, although it works well as a standalone novel anyway. Well written, likeable yet flawed characters made things feel more realistic. Plenty of descriptive detailing and careful research has been done into MIT too. A great read. Will have to download the first book now!

Another brilliant novel by MJ Lee about the Manchester criminal fraternity and DI Ridpath. The novel starts with DI Ridpath returning from his Coroners training course on his way home to take his estranged wife and daughter to the pictures when a young man runs into the motorway being chased by a man with a gun. Although Ridpath is able to stop in time the young man then runs across the remaining lanes on the motorway only to be run down by a truck, Ridpath calls it in and brings the motorway to a halt bringing the whole of Greater Manchester to a standstill. Ridpath is not believed until the identity of the victim is known as one of Michael Connelly's sons and the police fear a backlash and all out gang warfare until the crime is solved.

Oh how do I even begin to describe this book. I was really happy when this book came on NetGalley and I was ecstatic when Canelo gave me this book!! And I was so looking forward to reading this book and boy I wasn't disappointed!! I had fallen in love with Ridpath after reading the first book and this book carried on from where the last book left off. The story is brilliant and Ridpath is brilliant as usual. The way M J Lee creates the twists and turns in this book is just mind-blowing and at times seriously complicated but immensely enjoyable. And I loved the new characters that were introduced in this book, Claire Trent then new Head of MIT and Dr Schofield who's described as a teenager due to him suffering from Kallmann Syndrome among the few. And the rapport between Charlie Whitworth and Ridpath and Margaret Challinor and Ridpath were brilliant as well. The only thing that drove me crazy and to be honest quite scared me was Ridpath and his stubborn attitude of putting the job before his health . I was internally shouting at him when he was being an ass. But overall this is a brilliant book and not only carries on from where it left off in the first book but takes it a few levels higher. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who cares to listen!! And a big thank you to NetGalley and a big big thank you to Canelo for giving me a chance to read this ARC in exchange of my honest review.

Where the Dead Fall is the first book that I have read by M J Lee although it is the second book in the Ridpath series.

Even without having read the first book I still thoroughly enjoyed this book with there being just enough backstory to allow me to follow the story without any problems

The story moves along at a cracking pace with lots of action and it is definitely one that I thoroughly recommend