In Too Deep

This is the second book of Di Laura Hart and what a roller coaster of a read.The main characters are easily likeable and the plot keeps changing and really keeps you on your toes.Great book and looking forward to the third book in this series.

After reading the first book in this series The Dark Tide and thoroughly enjoying it, I eagerly awaited the opportunity to read In Too Deep. I was not disappointed! The book is written in the same easy to read, suspense filled fashion. After human remains are discovered and DI Laura Hart is plunged back into police life, the plot thickens when detectives believe the remains belong to ex-British Army member John. But is John who we think he is? I was convinced I knew where the story was headed but oh, was I wrong?! I would highly recommend this to all readers. I am not usually a fan of detective novels but this series is the one exception! Looking forward to reading the next one!

I was so pleased when I was chosen to read and review In too deep, I had previously read Dark tide and was eagerly awaiting this and I was not disappointed.
The thought, planning and writing processes were first class as always, the twists turns and dead ends to the investigation of who the remains were and who killed and buried them took us into areas such as the Army, IRA, MI5, Belfast and Dublin with side stories of Laura and Gareth’s romance and trying to find out what happened to Sam in Manchester kept the book riveting and a page turner. I was disappointed the book ended as I wanted it to go on and on and I am now counting till I can get the third book in the series Blood on the shore but before then I have booked a weekend in a cottage in Beaumaris so I can picture the area I am reading about.

DI Laura Hart finds herself back in Anglesey returning to work, and straight into fast paced investigations, some of which go back 20 years or so. The stories go from the troubles in Northern Ireland and back to domestic incidents on Anglesey. A beautifully crafted plot, twists and turns enough to please even the most critical reader, and great characters. A really good investigation, with the typical dead ends to leads that all murder incident rooms face. Also a very plausible and interesting premise. Loved it, can’t wait for the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A great story which is hard to put down. The characters are all very easy to relate to, there is a lot of suspense and questions and a great twist.

Thank you for this ARC. This author knows how to get you sucked into his books. The descriptive wording of the scenery in Anglesey, transports you there, and then the story unfolds. The characters are great and this story really packs a punch.

In too deep is an excellent Police Procedural set in Anglesey ,I haven't read the first book but it isn't necessary .A skeleton is found buried in the grounds of a castle and Laura who is returning to Police work after some time off is thrown into this case on her first day back.This is an exciting ,compelling story that kept me gripped until the end I love that in a book when you simply don't want to stop reading .Full of suspense with a few twists a fabulous and enjoyable read .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

Get ready for a roller coaster ride. Brilliant well thought out thriller that keeps you guessing, twists and turns galore. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

I loved, loved, loved this book, I could not put it down. I loved how the story unfolded and learning more about our 'victim'. Brilliantly written and had me gripped from the off.

It’s not often that a book mirrors the headlines in the daily newspaper! Furthermore, it’s not often that book 2 in a series is better than book 1, but McCleave knocked this one out of the park! I may be a bit biased since I was born not far from where this book takes place and grew up listening to adults discussing the events mentioned here unfold in real time.

The heart of the story is a recently discovered shallow grave and readers follow along as the detectives attempt to solve the mystery and the identity. In exploring possibilities, the plot circles around an Irish man who is serving in the Irish Guards “The Micks’ regiment of the British Army and he’s asked to infiltrate the IRA and feed the British Army intelligence. Sound familiar? It just so happens that today’s news is filled with headlines about an MI5 operative who did the very same thing. You’ll read about Michael McKevitt, the same man in today’s newspaper.

The writing continues to be sublime. I’ve never read such an intelligent crime thriller before! What a treat. McCleave writes to include readers in the action and his prose comes across as a movie script. The story was playing in my head as I read, adding to the ease of connection.

“If you was a Prod or a snout, we’d know by now.”
“You take us for feckin’ eejits.”
It’s phrases like this that unleashed my inner thick Irish brogue as I read!

The characters each have their own voice and the expressions and temperaments echo those I’ve grown up with; meaning that this story seems authentic. Growing up, I was on one side of the terror group and learned to fear them and their reach. Reading this book gave me insight into the other side; what it could have been like to live on the inside. I wish the dialogue had included more reasons why this faction broke away from the original IRA and why people would be enticed into joining this group. Regardless, I was on the edge of my seat, frantically turning page after page expecting the worst. It’s marketed as a compelling read, and it definitely is as claimed!

I was happy to see the language toned down a bit, but I still giggled at the Cagney and Lacey references and the ‘obviously male’ fantasy world the main character lives in where men think women want to jump their bones at any given moment, especially under the most inappropriate of circumstances. Warning: there is an open-door scene.

I loved the references to several books that characters were reading, the beautiful Bernese mountain dog, Elvis, how DI Hart speaks to her husband, the Bluetits, and Penguin bars. I’ve already recommended this book to almost everyone I met today! If you love a well-written crime thriller that keeps you glued to the storyline, this one’s for you!

I am already eagerly anticipating book 3!

I was gifted this copy by Avon Books UK and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

A gripping murder mystery where nothing is as it seems.

A body is discovered next to the ruins of a castle. The only clues to its identity a bank card and a brooch pin. Chasing shadows, the detective in charge may become the prey of a ruthless killer.

A well drawn and taut procedural thriller, with twists and turns aplenty. You’ll need to get comfy. You might be unable to put it down.

I have been read all of Simon Mcleave's books and have enjoyed each and everyone off them. The characters in book are likeable and gel together well. The storyline was good with a lot of twists in it. Even with the main character dealing with issues from her past you do not lose the main story. Looking forward to next in this series.

Absolutely brilliant. This is my first book by the author but it definitely won’t be my last.
This is the second in the DI Laura Hart Anglesey Crime series and it works perfectly well as a stand alone as the subplot is well covered.
I read this book in one day. It’s an excellent multilayered thriller that is full of twists and turns with believable characters. An added bonus for me being an Irish person now living in North Wales I knew most of the locations, which definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the read.
I’m really looking forward to the next instalment in this series

It’s DI Laura Hart’s first day with the Beaumaris CID. She’ll be working for DI Gareth Williams, head of the department and the first relationship she’s had since the death of her husband. As she fills out the requisite paperwork, Gareth comments “At least it’s quiet.” And Laura laughingly warns him that anytime you say that in a police station, something terrible happens. She’s right. Very right. A body is discovered near the ruins of a nearby Norman castle. Since the body was buried with a credit card and an Irish Guards pin, it should be easy to identify. But that identification leads to a complex trail of deception, violence and murder. As the publisher writes “Some secrets should stay buried for ever…”

In Too Deep is police procedural at its best! Simon McCleave has developed unforgettable, multi-layered characters. The plot is compelling and nuanced and the setting atmospheric. The subplot about the life of a soldier, moving from the past to present, is excellent. I can’t wait for the next in the Anglesey series. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Simon McCleave for this ARC.

In Too Deep is the second novel in the Anglesey Laura Hart series and is just as heart stopping as the first. Laura has stepped back into a police role after the frightening kidnap of her son in the first book. Her first day back on the job gets off to a rocky start when a skeleton is found in a shallow grave - who is it and how long have they been there?

The narrative switches between events in the present day and right back to the early 90s, where we meet soldier John Kelly. As Laura and John's stories develop and intermingle, the action really picks up pace. Alongside this we also see the challenges Laura faces, in dealing withe death of her husband, raising two children and a potential new romance with a superior.

In Too Deep is an excellent installment in the series, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. Plus a major development in the underlying storyline that will leave you hankering for the next book!

The second book to feature DI Laura Hart and what a cracking read. After reading the first book After The Dark Tide I knew I would like this series. A body is found but who is he and what is his real name????
Another real page turner which takes the reader on a journey to Belfast and Dublin, to the IRA and MI5. Another heart stopping, action packed trek through the mind of this very talented author and a budding romance. What's not to love. So highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

At times incredibly complex this is a great book with many interweaving threads centering around a skeleton discovered on Anglesey.
What starts as a strange tip off to an old gravesite soon becomes a detective embroiled in danger, MI5 and the Real IRA with events from the past catching up to people in the present in a tangled web of lies.
fantastic characters with lots of great backstory and a brilliantly thought out plot.

I think this is Simon McCleave’s best novel yet. It’s a slow starter, but once it gets going it’s a nail biting read. And the twist at the end! The personal interactions between Laura and Gareth add depth to this police procedural. The troubles in Northern Ireland are excellently portrayed. I highly recommend this book

In Too Deep by Simon McCleave
Publication date - 5th January 2023
Publisher - Avon
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It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Simon’s work and he was the first author who reached out to me as a blogger and I will be forever grateful for that. However, that doesn’t mean I’m biased when I review his books and when I say that he writes some of the best police procedurals coming out at the moment and he nails those female characters it's completely true!
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This is the second in this series which centres around DI Laura Hart. She recently moved back to Wales after the death of her husband, who was killed in action during a police raid. She is raising two children and her youngest Jake was recently kidnapped (read book 1 for this great story!) and this in a strange way reminded her how much she loved being a police officer. This book opens on her first day returning to work and when her boss, and tentative new lover, curses the team by using the a word - quiet - they are thrown into a complex case when remains are found at a local castle. They aren’t sure of the age of the bones but when part of a debit card and a badge relating to the army is found with them they realise they must be related to a more recent death. Soon MI5 and the army are involved and when events link back to the real IRA Laura knows they will need to really delve into the man’s history to find out the truth!
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Although this is the second book in the series you can certainly pick this up and read it as a stand-alone. All references to narratives that I can see threading these books together are explained enough that the reader knows what is going on. But since there has only been one book before this I do recommend reading the first one, firstly because it’s fantastic and secondly you get to be involved in the series from the start! I love when that happens.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this tense thriller and I personally loved the story. That might be down to relating to the murder victim as my father let’s say shared a lot of life events with him. I even had to ask him once if he was Solider F! I think Simon was able to negotiate a tricky subject with aplomb - it came across as well researched and nuanced on the subject. For many it seems a distant part of history but for others it was their life and still is in some ways. History is still holding to many secrets when it comes to the Troubles and this story managed to convey what one aspect of it would have felt like to people like the victim.
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The development of Laura’s character was a delight to read. She seems happier now she has returned to work and is visualising Sam alot less which is showing she is more content. The background to Sam’s death was explored in more depth and Sam and her ex colleague Pete manage to find out some more information when it comes to his death. Don’t know if I trust Pete - I think he might turn out to be dodgy.
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Once again the sense of location was brilliantly portrayed. Anglesey is more than just a backdrop it’s also a character and one that is greatly loved by the author. That comes across in his writing, his love of nature and also of the history of the place he calls home. It makes me want to pay a visit! Maybe I will finally complete that degree from Bangor and go on a wee adventure.
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Roll on book three! Let me know if you pick this one up.

Having initially been sent the first story in the DI Laura Hart series I finally found the second tale. It was worth the effort as this twisty dark tale of a body found in a shallow grave appears to be an ex soldier with an impeccable service record. The action moves between Wales in the present and Ireland in the late 80’s. Laura’s private life with her involvement in a relationship with a co DI and her children also in the tale. Her investigation into the circumstances of her husband’s murder in the first tale is a sub plot to the main story. There’s more murders , a string of suspects all cleverly building to the shock twist in the tale. There’s even time at the end to set the scene for the next episode!

In Too Deep by Simon McCleave is the second instalment featuring ex-Police Negotiator Laura Hart who has now rejoined the police as a DI and she has to hit the ground running when a body is found in some old ruins with links to the IRA.
This is a fast paced rollercoaster of a read and in typical Simon Mcleave fashion he has left it open for a third installment and i can't wait.

What a start to Laura Harts first day back on the job a body found leads to lots of twists and turns in this second book in this new series. Love the interaction between Laura and her dead husband. An excellent new series.
I received this book from Avon books and Netgalley for a review.

This was a fascinating murder, mystery story. Lots of twists and turns and false leads. A good cast of characters that seemed very real and a great conclusion. Thoroughly enjoyable read.