The Silent Dead – Graham Smith

He’d found an angel for his collection. But one angel at a time was never enough…

Detective Beth Young has just joined the Cumbrian major crimes team when a body is found posed in a ritualistic manner – arms spread and graceful wings attached – at a crumbling castle in the hills of the Lake District.

The entire police force are on red alert. But Beth begins to feel she’s the only one who can follow the disturbing clues left by the twisted killer. Because she doesn’t think like everyone else. To Beth, crimes are puzzles she can solve. Even if real life is a little harder.

As more bodies are discovered in derelict stately homes across the Lake District, she knows she’s in a race against time.

But the killer is looking for another victim to add to his collection… Will Beth be able to save her? Or will he get there first?

 

My thanks to Bookouture for my review copy which I received through Netgalley

 

I always enjoy picking up a new thriller by Graham Smith as he writes books I love to read. The Silent Dead was no exception, a dark and engaging tale which introduces Detective Beth Young to the crime reading community.

Young is finding her feet in Cumbrias major crimes team. Eager, determined and keen to impress but hampered by a degree of naievity and she still needs to learn the politics of her new role.  It makes Beth an endearing and entertaining character to follow.

She is cutting her teeth on a brutal murder case. A body has been discovered – the dead man was suspended upright and subjected to some extremely unpleasant reconstructive bodywork (no spoilers) before his killer abandoned the corpse.

We follow the investigation, a narrative I always love, but progress for Beth and her colleagues is slow so we share their frustrations too.

A second narrative is shared – that of a hunter. A predator looking to add to his “angels” and readers get to see him choose his next target. The cut-away from the investigation to this predator and his potential victims made the story seem more urgent and this kept me reading.  You are urging the police to get cracking and stop the bad guys before anyone else is harmed!

The Silent Dead is highly recommended to all crime fiction lovers. Beth is a great lead character and Graham Smith can spin a cracking story.

 

The Silent Dead is published by Bookouture and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silent-Dead-gripping-thriller-stunning-ebook/dp/B07H2DG957/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1544052122&sr=8-3