The Midnight Killing

Wow! What a story! This book had suspense intrigue, heartache and heartbreak! As a mom I do get that you would do anything for your kids, thus book was really sad in that regard, but as a mom I see why certain things were done! Yes stupid choices but I kind of get it?! I do wish I read the book in front of this one first, it didn't ruin this story but I would have liked to read it in order! I do have the other book I just didn't know lol I definitely recommend reading this book but you might want to read who took Eden Mulligan first?! I know that's my next book! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for an advance copy of The Midnight Killing, the second novel to feature DI Danny Stowe and Dr Rose Lainey of the PSNI in Belfast.

When the body of James McCallum is found hanging in the grounds of his old school it looks like suicide, but something seems off to DI Danny Stowe and the autopsy confirms murder. With few leads they grasp the hint of one when they find references to the twenty year old disappearance of a child.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Midnight Killing, which is an engrossing read with an unexpected solution. It is told entirely from the investigative point of view with both both Danny and Rose’s perspectives. I found this makes for interesting reading as they have different angles to contribute and it gives a broader view. I like a novel that concentrates on the investigation and this fits the bill nicely, so I finished it in one sitting.

The plot builds in the usual procedural fashion with everything on the table and a gradual process of elimination to narrow the field. Rose’s psychological observations add a welcome extra layer to proceedings. It moves at a steady pace with developments at every turn and while some elements of the final reveal are unsurprising given the build up, there are others that will take the reader by surprise, if not shock.

The novel is mostly about the investigation but it spends a lot of time on Danny and Rose’s personal lives. I really didn’t take to this emotional side and felt it intruded over much on the main event, the murder investigation. Each is carrying a candle for the other but don’t know it and won’t do anything about it for fear of ruining their friendship. Yawn. It’s tedious and repetitive. Then there’s the question of what Rose’s dead mother did during The Troubles. This is obviously going to be a thread in the series, but given the slow rate of discovery it will need to be a long series.

The Midnight Killing is a good read that I can recommend.

A good book that keeps you wanting to know what happens next. I didn’t want to put it down bearing in my it’s not my usual genre. Well done.

I didn't know this is actually a sequel but nonetheless I got this ARC from the publisher.

When the body of a man named James McCallum was found, it was ruled as suicide. However, after the autopsy results, it was later found that James was indeed strangled to death and that it was actually a murder. Furthermore, when they investigated James' laptop, they find James obsession with a girl named Maeve Lunn, an eight year old girl who disappeared more than twenty years ago. The police must find clues about the connection between this cold case and James murder and must find the killer before it's too late.

Initially, the story was a little boring at first--it started off slightly boring. But gradually, it became fast paced towards the middle of the book, with the discovery of the case of the eight year old girl and the fact that James and his friends who were teenagers back then had been around during the time of the girl's disappearance. From the middle of the book, it got interesting and I was literally hooked into the book. I didn't read the first book of the series so I was a bit confused on the parts about Rose Linley's background that I simply skimmed through those parts.

Overall, this was actually a good thriller--worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

This is not what I expected based on the description but was a great mystery nonetheless. The methodical work done in the first half made the final reveal very gripping and led to a satisfying conclusion.

The first part was a but slow but picked up about 1/3 of the way through.

This was the second book in the series and it referenced the prior case the detectives worked on together a lot. Unfortunately if there was any description of that case I missed it and it became distracting as the book progressed.

I liked both main characters and was a bit puzzled about their relationship at the beginning. The author finally gave enough background to make sense of how they behaved and left me wanting to know more about where they would go in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Avon Books, UK and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

I really liked this mystery! I think this is the second one in this series, but I don't think you had to read the first one to enjoy this one. In fact, I want to go back and read the first one. The mystery starts when young architect, James McCallum, is found hanging from a tree on the grounds of his former primary school. DI Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey are called in to solve the mystery. Lots of twists and turns along the way, and I really liked the main characters. Highly recommend if you like a good mystery!

I really enjoyed this book!

I loved the chemistry between Danny and Rose and I loved the multiple POV from both characters, it was really intriguing seeing how they both perceived the same encounter.

It was a little predictable and followed a lot of the usual cop crime tropes, I also found the nickname ‘battle’ for their boss really irritating, I hate corny nicknames.

I liked how the current crime linked to a historical crime and I was really hooked by this, I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened and in all honesty I wasn’t disappointed.

Danny and Rose were both strong protagonists and I liked that Danny wasn’t beaten by his demons as so many cops are in these kind of books. I found Rose’s obsession with her family history a bit boring and found myself skimming those chapters.

In all a good book that I would definitely recommend.

I enjoyed this and found it to a gripping mystery. I liked the main characters and found it to be an absorbing read.

Drew me right in excellent writing tense storyline characters that come alive.This was second in the series but can be read aloneA series a bookI will be recommending.#netgalley #avonbooksuk.

When a body is found of James McCallum hanging from a tree in the grounds of Osbourne House Graham school. DI Danny Stowe thinks it is an open and closed case. But when they investigate it further and with the forensic evidence. There is something more sinister afoot.
With the help of forensic psychologist Rose Lainey when the delve further into the case they interview a group of friends, which James was one of them going on holiday in Mistle, Donegal in their teens to celebrate their end of exams and a cold case of a missing 8-year-old child that went missing that year. To be never seen again.
Thank you, Avon, for a copy of The Midnight killing by Sharon Dempsey. Like the first book in the series. I really enjoyed this intriguing story. It has a unique storyline. Great characters and I wonder if a relationship between Danny and Rose will deepen in the next book. Will we also get to have more information on Roses mothers background? I know some other reviews say there is a lot of information in this book to go through but that didn’t put me off. I think it made the story more solid for what is to come in further episodes. 5 stars from me.

I went into this book not knowing that it was a sequel of sorts, however, I did enjoy this story and I will be checking out the first book, Who Took Eden Mulligan.

The story starts out with the discovery James McCallum, found hanging from a tree at his former school. The main characters of the story are DI Danny Stowe and a forensic psychologist, Rose Lainey. At first the death looks like a standard suicide but after the autopsy is revealed, something more sinister has occurred to James and its up to Stowe and Lainey to find out how and why he was murdered. As the case heats up, computer techs discover that James had encrypted files that detailed the mysterious disappearance of an 8-year-old little girl, Maeve Lunn, from a town called Mistle, 20 years before. She went to get candy one day on her bike and never returned. Turns out James and three friends of his just happened to be visiting Mistle the same weekend that she went missing. What is the connection to James and his friends, and does it have anything to do with his murder? The age old saying that secrets don't stay hidden is all too true in this story.

I really enjoyed this story. I was intrigued from the very beginning and stayed hooked all the way through. I like the characters and felt they were well established especially given that this is a continuation from the book before. I will definitely be looking for more from this author,

When a body is found at a school DI Danny Stone isn’t sure the case is a straightforward suicide. With the assistance of Rose Lainey, the forensic psychologist, they investigate and a cold case is linked to their investigation.
I wish I had known there was a previous book in this story but I soon moved past the references to the first book and enjoyed this. The characters were good and I would read more by this author. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the style of the story and the mystery.
An absolute page turner. Just when you think you have it figured something comes along and you are back to figuring out who , what, when, where and why!
The plot was well thought out. I think they did a good job with the cast of characters and the developments along the way.
This is a great mystery/thriller for anyone looking for a suspenseful, twisty read. I really enjoyed this one and would definitely read more from this author.

Avon,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
Can't thank you enough!
I will post my review closer to pub date.

This is my first introduction to Detective Inspector Danny Stowe and Dr Rose Lainey and for me it was an intriguing read, being as it's set in Belfast. An area that has a contentious history with the police and I was interested to see how that would play out.

And The Midnight Killing is a very solid police procedural. That does hint at Northern Ireland's troubled past. And it's one that's full of investigative detail too, from what an autopsy tells you, to how scenes of crime interpret evidence, to how the police then take that evidence and use it to narrow down a suspect, and I certainly found that very engaging.

But for me the story lacked pace, and I felt that not enough happened, particularly during the first half to really enthral me. Yet, it certainly got more interesting as it developed, especially once the connection to a young girl's disappearance was made. And I enjoyed the mystery of who and why James McCallum was killed.

When the body of local architect James McCallum is found hanging in the grounds of his former school one cold, dark night, DI Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey suspect foul play behind his apparent suicide. To their astonishment, the trail leads to a 20-year-old cold case of a missing girl, and a teenage party. But what was James’ fascination with the case and how is it linked to his death? This book apparently is a sequel and while it does read well as a standalone, it might be better to read the one before this. There will clearly be a third that hopefully tie some ends together. Having said this, this story was quite a thriller and had lots of twists and turns and a highly satisfying ending. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

What a good book! Who killed James MacCallum??
He was found hanging from a tree in the grounds of Osbourne Grammar School but was it suicide or murder? Inspector Danny Stowe & his team, including Dr Rose Lainey, who was a long-standing friend & crime expert, begin the investigation. They make a great duo, who work well together.
I look forward to reading more about this crime team, Would make a great television series!

A man has hanged himself on the old school ground, or so it seems. There is just something that does not add up. There is also an unsolved case of a girl gone missing years ago that pops to the surface. Could these two cases be related?

An enjoyable read about police procedure and the dark settings of what has been going on in Northern Ireland not too long ago. Interesting characters with great background stories, great and intense relations between people, and past events that changes almost everything. Intriguing story and well worth the read!

‘The Midnight Killing’ had me haunted from the first couple of chapters and that’s down to the creepy and atmospheric setting. That horse chestnut at dawn - whoa! (You’ll have to read if if you want to know what I’m on about - hehe).

I love a story where the investigators have something personal going on and main characters, Danny and Rose, added many layers. Rose’s past was compelling whereas Danny brought a huge level of emotion to the table. Both had issues to resolve and I really enjoyed the dynamics between them. A DI and a forensic psychologist working together; what’s not to be thrilled about?

The actual investigation left my heart in my mouth and it touched me emotionally too. The weaving of the child who disappeared in the past and the hanged man of present, was clever.

This book took me on a journey that felt fresh, tense and exhilarating. It’s perfect for those who love a crime investigation with a historical element and I’d thoroughly recommend it!

When local architect James McCallum is found hanging from a tree at his former school, it is initially thought to be suicide. When discrepancies are found indicating he was in fact murdered DI Danny Stowe and Dr Rose Lainey are brought in to find out exactly what happened.
As they comb through the victims life they discover files on his computer relating to a young girl who went missing 20 years ago, in a village where James and his friends were staying at the time. What connection could he have to the missing child case and is it a factor in his death?
It seems that the deeper they dig they find more questions than answers but one thing they do know, someone has gone to a lot of trouble to cover up the past and they don't want to be found out now.
I liked the relationship between Danny & Rose, they work well together and compliment each other. The storyline was very good with twists you didn't see coming.

Thank you, AVON and HarperCollins Publishers, for the advance reading copy.

Another detective murder mystery which worked for me.

The atmosphere is quite intense and the writing just gripped me right from the prologue.

I tend to lose interest in murder mysteries which involves detectives and investigations quite easily. But this one stands out as the rest of the chapters live up to the prologue. This doesn't happen quite often.

The characters stand out. They are quite memorable even after the story has done its job.
The plot works as it is gets more intense the more the chapters continue.

The investigation parts interested me as it is thoroughly done and explained. For this plot, we have to rule out if it's a suicide or some foul play involved.

I appreciate the short chapters. And moreover, the mystery elements worked for me. I was expecting a bit more towards the ending though.

Overall, a quick cosy mystery read. You will enjoy this one for sure.

A good tale of friendships forged in teenage years and the deep loyalties and hidden secrets.
A man is found hanging, presumed suicide at first until all begins to unfold and all is not what it seems. The story starts to focus on the tight group of friends that he was part of during his late teens and the uneasy but consistent way they’ve stayed in touch since. The forensics suggest that he was murdered rather than suicide and one of his other friends is attacked so how is this linked? The story further complicates when there seems to be links to a little girl who went missing years ago, who has never been found.
I liked the way the story developed, at times the personal lives and romantic links of the investigating team seemed to divert the action and get in the way but overall they intertwined and gave a good, rounded story. The backdrop of Ireland gave an extra element for me with the scenery and fascinating names and nods to the darker history and ‘the Irish troubles’. A very enjoyable read, would recommend.

I really enjoyed this mystery or police procedural. From the beginning it kept you hooked. A suicide which wasn’t really a suicide and an encrypted folder in the murdered man’a computer about the disappearance of a little girl in a small town some 20 years ago. It was a bool that made me want to go on reading deep into the night. A good read for sure for lovers of mystery and trillers.