Dead to Me

Scott & Bailey #1

by Cath Staincliffe

A daughter's death

A teenage girl is found brutally murdered in her squalid flat.

A mother's love

Her mother is devastated. She gave her child up to the care system, only to lose her again, and is convinced that the low-life boyfriend is to blame.

Two ordinary women, one extraordinary job

DC Rachel Bailey has dragged herself up from a deprived childhood and joined the Manchester Police. Rachel's boss thinks her new recruit has bags of raw talent but straight-laced DC Janet Scott, her reluctant partner, has her doubts.

Together Scott and Bailey must hunt a killer, but a life fighting crime can be no life at all...

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Thriller, British Literature, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

346 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2012

About the author

Cath Staincliffe is a best-selling, award-winning novelist, radio playwright and the creator of ITV's hit series, Blue Murder, starring Caroline Quentin as DCI Janine Lewis. Cath's books have been short-listed for the British Crime Writers Association best first novel award, for the Dagger in the Library and selected as Le Masque de l'Année. In 2012 Cath won the CWA Short Story Dagger for Laptop, sharing the prize with Margaret Murphy with her story The Message. Cath was shortlisted again with Night Nurse in 2014. Cath's Sal Kilkenny private eye series features a single-parent sleuth working the mean streets of Manchester. Trio, a stand-alone novel moved away from crime to explore adoption and growing up in the 1960s, inspired by Cath's own experience. Letters To My Daughter's Killer was selected for Specsavers Crime Thriller Book Club in 2014 and featured on ITV3s Crime Thriller Club. Cath also writes the Scott & Bailey novels based on the popular UK TV series. Cath's latest stand alone book, The Girl in the Green Dress, was inspired by her experience as the parent of a transgender child. It tells the story of a transphobic hate crime and asks the question: how far would you go to protect your child? Cath is one of the founding members of Murder Squad - a group of Northern crime writers who give readings, talks and signings around the country. Cath was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, UK and now lives in Manchester, Lancashire with her family. You can follow her on Twitter, @CathStaincliffe, which she does when she should be busy writing!

Reviews

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely super book, this is the prequel to the smash hit UK TV Series "Scott & Bailey" of which I am a huge fan, seen all of the series of it. I have not read Cath Staincliffe before but really enjoyed this first dip in the water of her novels.

The book has not one but THREE female detectives, all with their own unique personalities, character and policing style. It was written spot on to the cast of the TV show, I could picture them and hear them whilst reading the book.

The story is around the murder of a young woman found on a housing estate block of flats, it's a book that is not bogged down with extensive police procedure to the point that you are groaning in agony from the boredom, it mixed well the lives and backgrounds of the Detectives, with their working life and the overall storyline.

During the book there are twists and turns as pieces of evidence are slowly found and put together, suspects are interviewed and forensics are analysed. I didn't guess the killer until about 3 chapters from the end when I had an inkling which turned out to be right.

I love the characters in the novel, especially Gill, she's a great gritty down to earth but fascinating character. In fact I loved all of the book, I read it quickly, it engaged me from page one and I am keen to read more of Cath Staincliffe's books. Highly recommended if you a fan of the TV show or just a fan of a good crime novel, good British crime novels at that.

[Deanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to put down, love the ITV programme, and in particular Gill. It's a prequel so explains how Scott and Bailey meet, and more of each woman's past.
There's also a good crime story in there, with numerous leads to follow until the killer is unmasked.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I'm a huge fan of the TV series & as I used to enjoy Cath Staincliffe's Sal Kilkenny series I was expecting to enjoy this prequel......& I was not disappointed. For fans of the series it gives some good background into how the three women became the trio of strong female detectives that we know & love.

As the story unfolded, I could see & hear the characters in my mind as clearly as watching an episode. The dialogue & dialect was spot on & overall the story was fast-paced & gritty with nice touches of humour.

I thoroughly enjoyed it but admit to being a little biased :o)
Would love to hear thoughts on it from someone who hasn't watched the series.

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well constructed with interesting women

[Joanne D'Arcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before television there was the novel. However in this case television came first, with the series Scott and Bailey. Cath Staincliffe has written a prequel to the popular ITV1 crime drama series. An interesting idea but Staincliffe was the creator and scriptwriter of ITV’s Blue Murder, is familiar with Manchester so is a perfect position to write a book without simply regurgitating something from the television to appease fans.

It is not a prerequisite that you have had to watch the programme as this being a prequel it is the beginning of the story for the three main characters DC’s Janet Scott and Rachel Bailey and DCI Gill Murray. I have only seen one or two episodes so their characters as they are in the programme are not really fully formed in my mind. Finding out their backgrounds and what has shaped them into the police roles they are in now and what they will be in the future and how well their dynamic will be in solving the case that brings them together is what makes this book an excellent read.

A girl has been stabbed, there is a possibility of rape, drugs play a part somewhere and the victim’s mother wants justice; she is convinced it is the boyfriend. She wants blame to be apportioned so that she feels after leaving her daughter in care to be looked after the system has not failed her.

DCI Gill Murray is heading up the investigate team and she has her faithful DC Janet Scott with her, but there is a new girl on the block Rachel Bailey; gun-ho, arrogant and a bit of a risk to a well established team. Murray teams her up with Scott in the hope that Scott’s calmness, experience and ease with events takes some of the arrogance away. Bailey on the other hand thinks she is being mothered and wants to prove she is worthy of her place without the help of a colleague. It is this arrogance that makes Bailey a strong character within the book, and I felt as irritated by her as her colleagues did.

Bailey has something to prove not because she is a woman, but because her background and past would have brought her on the other side of the law if she had not taken the path she had. She needs to fix everything to heal the wounds of the past.

Scott, knows that some wounds of the past cannot be healed permanently and it is the experience in dealing with them that makes them stronger in the future. She has empathy for a mother who has lost her daughter and knows that trying to juggle a life is not an easy job when you are in the police force.

Murray on the other hand, as the ‘boss’ got their on her own merit, and would have got further had her family unit not been turned upside down. Career paths had to change and the past perhaps can never be far away.

If you have never read a crime novel before then start with this one, ignore the fact that it is based on a television programme. It covers police procedural well, and explains for all us non police readers some of the language and shorthand used. You can understand the process and the outcomes if everything does not go right, have they really got the right person? If you loved the programme and very rarely read then read this novel as it will get you into the joy of reading.

[Mieke Schepens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een boek waar je in blijft lezen tot het uit is. De titel 'Doorgeslagen' kan in verband gebracht worden met verschillende personages in het verhaal.
In dit eerste boek van de serie maak je kennis met Janet Scott en Rachel Bailey, twee vrouwelijke rechercheurs in Manchester.

Ik was al snel geboeid door deze dames. Hoe verschillend ze zijn en hoe gedreven ze de opgelegde taken verrichten. De een moet nog heel veel leren, ook in het dagelijks leven, terwijl de ander wat meer levenservaring heeft. Beide vrouwen waren me in een mum van tijd sympathiek.
Lekker korte hoofdstukken maken dat het boek leest als een trein.
Het verhaal heeft een heerlijke spanningsopbouw. Het wordt nergens saai terwijl het toch geen actie-thriller te noemen is. Ook het verleden van beide vrouwen komt aan de orde, wat hen overkomen is in hun jeugd of op jongere leeftijd, wat de reden is dat ze voor het beroep gekozen hebben en hoe ze op dit moment in het leven staan. Janet neemt Rachel op sleeptouw, maar dat gaat niet zonder slag of stoot.
Er zit ook humor in dit verhaal, soms enigszins sarcastisch te noemen.
Wat ik prettig vind is dat de auteur alles heel duidelijk uitlegt, zodat er geen vragen open blijven staan. Ook alle personages worden duidelijk beschreven, je ziet ze voor je terwijl je leest.
Deze plot had ik niet aan zien komen, een verrassing was dat!

Ik heb dit boek graag gelezen en kijk uit naar het volgende deel; 'Ongewis' dat eind juni verwacht wordt.
Een aanrader!! 4,5/5*

[Anissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of the show Scott & Bailey so I devoured this prequel novel to the show. First in a series, I thought it was a good introduction to the main women we follow (Janet, Rachel & Gill) & there was great expansion on background of these ladies that is only mentioned in passing on the show (season 1) or alluded to. It was all fantastic & just fit so well with what is already known on screen. I laughed & rolled my eyes & enjoyed watching Rachel getting her bearings with the team. Janet is steady as always but that whole thing with Andy was good to get the low down on. I learnt the most about Gill & that was really cool because on the show, so much of her past hadn't been mentioned. The main case the MIT worked on was pretty interesting & it never got boring following the procedural stuff. I was pretty sure I'd figured out the killer's identity but there were still twists & turns that I hadn't seen coming along the way. The tension was built & held taut & true throughout. The supporting characters were well drawn & not just stock or flat. I was so eager to read this that I bought my copy on Amazon's UK site (it's not available on Kindle in the US) & likely will very soon buy the next in the series as well. Love this series.

[Vicki - I Love Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

After watching a loving the TV series, I was really looking forward to reading this book. And I was not disappointed. A really enjoyable read.
I found it even better as I live in the area where most of it was filmed, and having our quiet little town mentioned in the book was great. I really does help you build a picture in your mind. And having a clear image of the characters was great.
Such strong story line and very well written. I will be reading more books by this author without a doubt.

So, as well as being a Scott and Bailey fan, i'm now a Cath Staincliffe fan.

Scott and Bailey are female detectives in a Manchester Murder squad. The characters are so so different, but after a rocky start, work so so well together.
A teenage girl is found brutally murdered in her flat. Can Scott and Bailey find out why Lisa was killed or by whom.
A Brilliant Crime Thriller with twists and turns to keep you guessing.

[Afreen Khalil Inscribed Inklings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dead to me by Cath Staincliffe 📚



Dead to me is a prequel to a hit TV show called Scott and Bailey. In this case the TV series came first and the book later. It sets the tone to the show and how Scott and Bailey met and their back story. I have not seen the show and I still enjoyed the book. It was a simple detective story. It had 3 strong female leads which was just fabulous.

The writing was articulate. The narration had multiple POVs. The plot was not unique but it still had enough stuff to make it interesting. However, the ending was a bit predictable. The story was about Rachel Bailey, a new recruit and Janet Scott who was an experienced officer. Their team leader was DCI Gill.

Rachel was had good instincts but was very impulsive and rash. Their first case was the murder of a young drug addict. Rachel immediately made a connection with a past case with no proof. Jane and her make a whacky combo. Though the book was about death, it Still had some humour in it. Who was the killer? Does Rachel make it? Read to find out!

I'll recommend this book if you want to read a good detective story with strong female leads

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what to expect from books based on what has become my favourite TV show and because the characters mean so much to me, I was worried it would ruin them, but I really loved this. Gill was particularly in character, I thought, and she is my favourite so I was incredibly relieved. Some of the author’s choices for Janet didn’t ring completely true to me, but overall I really enjoyed the backstory Staincliffe gave to all of the characters, the little extra details added to the show’s canon. Most importantly, my favourite dynamic on the show (Gill and Rachel) was incredibly portrayed. If I hadn’t watched the show, I’m not sure how I’d feel about the book as a stand-alone, but the case had me hooked enough. I’m always going to be here for the characters and their dynamics above plot, though. Overall, this was way better than I expected it to be!

[Marguerite Hargreaves · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a cracking mystery here, but Cath Staincliffe belabors the portrayal of some of the characters (Rachel Bailey, especially) to the point where they become caricatures. I like that the depiction of police work shows the grind and the minutia of investigations, also that the police have to deal with a good bit of unsolved mystery in the line of duty and in their own lives. The novel is well-paced and a fairly quick read. I hadn't heard of Cath Staincliff until very recently. This is the only title of hers I could find in North Carolina public libraries, though the DVDs based on the characters here seem to be plentiful. (It's a different sort of mystery.) I might look into Staincliffe's Janine Lewis books, which seem to be more highly regarded than this one.

[Esther · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally, I would fire Rachel, her potential and her marvelous insights and instincts be damned, but that's just me.

I loved the television series and almost but not quite liked the book. I blame Cath Staincliffe a little. Authors who describe in detail the food on the fork and the soup on the spoon need to just quit it. That's not good writing. This is not to say that they aren't capable of writing well. This is to say that THAT is not good writing.

Also, other reviewers have apparently "got" something that I have missed. Everyone else seems to be satisfied with the ending. Why do I feel like one of the crimes was left hanging? Um, Rosie?

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never watched the TV series so I read this just as a police procedural book. Although there are some aspects of the backgrounds of the police team which are a little 'soap opera' this is still a decent read, with a murder of a drug addict young woman to solve.

[Michelle Centeno · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little "busy" in the beginning but a great read!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent crime thriller. Brilliant writing, hangs together perfectly. Enjoy

[AJourneyWithoutMap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead To Me by Cath Staincliffe is the first book in the Scott and Bailey series published as a paperback on April 12th 2012 by Corgi, and it is not an entirely new book. The hardcover edition to be published by Minotaur books is slated for January 14, 2014 release. However, the publication of a paperback edition almost two years ago should not be a deterrent to loving the book as it is a gratifying read. And it must be remembered that the book is prequel to the hugely popular television series Scott & Bailey.

In Dead To Me, the reader is introduced to three formidable but very different women. Rachel Bailey is the new recruit as a police officer. She is strong-minded and determined. Then there is the experienced police officer, Janet Scott. DCI Gill Murray bands them up as a team. Janet’s initial misgivings about Rachel soon turn into awe and admiration. And soon they make a formidable team.

As book one in a projected series, Cath Staincliffe meticulously developed the characters to enable readers to relate to them. DCI Gill Murray is separated from her cheating husband and a parent to a young boy. Rachel comes from a dysfunctional family and is unwilling to reveal her true background to her lawyer boyfriend. Janet is mother to two young girls, but her marriage is starting to crumble.

Cleverly interspersing into the story is the murder of a teenage girl, Lisa Finn. Scott and Bailey are called in to investigate. The victim’s mother wants justice, and she is convinced it is the boyfriend, Sean. But is there something to it more than what it appears to be? Did Sean really kill Lisa? You have to find it out in this well-written book.

[Josephine (Jo) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was written as a prequel to the Scott and Bailey t.v. series. We meet Janet and Rachel at the beginning of their partnership with the Murder Investigation Department, Janet is an experienced officer very clam and great a interviews, Rachel is newly promoted and very impetuous, she wants quick results and gets very impatient with the slow by the book method of policing. In this story we get to see what makes the two women tick, why they are as they are, their family background and how their past has had a profound effect on the way they think. Solving the murder in this case proves to have many twists and false starts and during the course of the investigation a lot of dirty secrets from the past are unearthed and we discover why the victim and others are so badly damaged and vulnerable. It takes a lot of perseverance and solid detective work for the duo to 'get their man' and this all combines to make are really interesting read.

[Nick Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This could have been a lazy tie in to the popular UK TV show, but this is a very good reflection of the characters, storyline and plotting of the excellent TV show.

Scott and Bailey are female detectives in a Manchester “syndicate” (murder squad). This is a prequel to the TV series showing how they first met and how the dynamics of their relationship grow from initial dislike. Author Cath Staincliffe does an exceptional job of capturing the characters and giving then even more depth than the show. Part of the joy of the series is that these are ordinary women with ordinary problems and the balance between them as individuals and their work on the murder of a young female drug addict is very well portrayed. In simple terms, if you love the TV series, you are going to love this too.

[Melliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a new author to me, and on the basis of this book I would read others by her. It's a police procedural, and seems like the first of a series, integrating as it does a new detective into the ranks of an established crew. I enjoyed the insights into breaking someone in to thinking like a team member instead of a lone wolf while simultaneously appreciating her leaps of instinct that furthered the case, and I really liked that the three main characters were female--the boss, the seasoned detective, the newbie. The mystery itself kept my interest, although it was definitely subordinate to the characters and stories of the officers. A good one--that would be a 3.5 if permitted.

It also indulged my affinity for British slang, humor, and mindset.

[Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book surprisingly well done. The female lead characters are strong and have depth. I found myself connecting with Janet. Some parts of the book were lagging and there was some infidelity on Janet's part that wasn't resolved at the end of the story so I already put the next book in the series on hold. Also, since I'm not from England some terms like "fag" and "pie" I had to try and figure out but the author did a good job, for the most part, providing context clues of what they were. I'm still wondering what "pies" and chips ( I know chips are fries since my study abroad days ;) ) are...hamburgers or pizza? Overall, a good read.

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[Josefine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't say that this book was particularly well written, or even that the case was unpredictable - but it's not about that when you pick up Dead to Me. It's about Janet Scott & Rachel Bailey's background together and it tells this story rather nicely.

And come on, it's official fanfiction, what't not to love about that? I wish we'd get that for every show.

[Peter McGinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the brand new hardcover version - apparently it was previously published in paperback in England. I picked it up because of the cover, but when I scanned the inside front cover I realized it involves the characters from Scott and Bailey, a British police show I enjoyed years ago. It seems to be a prequel, though a couple of the lesser events felt familiar to me.

I started watching the show it is based on because I like police procedurals more than I do mysteries, and because I had seen one of the main actors in something else. But I grew to like several of the characters, and also the way the cases developed. It seemed more realistic than some police shows, with some of their leads developed through long and hard work and some through lucky breaks. This book follows that same realistic pattern.

If I had read the book first, perhaps I would have liked the Rachel character less, but this is a prequel, so all I can say if you have your doubts about her is - let her grow on you.

I feel like I am reviewing the show as much as the book, so let me hasten to say that the writing is very good. It is omniscient, which means you get to see, hear and feel what a few of the characters experience rather than just through one person's eyes. I write books myself, and omniscient is the hardest type to write, I think. I usually stick to one person's viewpoint. But this author handles it well. There was never any lurch when moving between character viewpoints. And the way the main characters think is different, which means the writing has to show that difference - and it does. I think if the names were removed, I would still have usually known which character the story was following.

This is not a hang-onto-your-seat thriller, or one of those stories where every chapter sees a new suspect angle. Instead it works on developing the characters right along with the plot, showing an entire team in action, with realistic and interesting dynamics taking place as they try to work together. I did get a little tired of the attitude of the Rachel character, like I said above, but otherwise none of the characters caused my eyes to roll in disbelief.

If you like the book, try to check out the series it is based on. It is more of the same. I hope there are more books also - between the books and series, maybe I will not have to go very long without them.

[Rob Kitchin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead To Me is a prequel to the TV series ‘Scott and Bailey’ and was published mid-way through the run of the second series. Staincliffe was not a writer for the TV series, so I’m not quite sure how the novel came about; I’ve also not watched the TV series so I’ve no point of comparison between them. What I can say though is that I thoroughly enjoyed the read. The premise is relatively straightforward – a fairly conventional police procedural investigating the murder of a young woman found stabbed in her home. The woman had recently left a care home and was found by her junkie boyfriend. What sets the book apart is the trio of lead female characters: the experienced and successful DCI Gill Murray; the stoic Janet Scott, a career DC who wants to stay on the frontline and has no ambition for promotion; and the impetuous and reckless DC Bailey who is hungry for success and recognition. Staincliffe provides all three with a decent personal backstory and unfolding personal issues and interlinks those with their professional lives, and the story hinges around their interactions. In other words, this is really a Scott, Bailey and Murray story, with each given even weight, though Bailey acts as a kind of fulcrum in the story. While the mystery element holds no great surprises, the procedural components and the actions and interactions of the three lead characters make for a compelling and entertaining read.

[Lorne Strachan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Of all the silly, irritating, cliché-ridden police procedurals I’ve experienced, this may be the worst. As the first “Scott & Bailey” book I think it is probably the start of a dreadful ‘soap opera-like’ series that’s going to deal with domestic dramas with a bit of policing on the side rather than any genuine mysteries or believable procedures. I say “probably” because I won’t be reading further. It was a struggle finishing this one even though all I had to do is listen to the audiobook as I walked.

For what little it’s worth the plot is about the deaths of teenage girls living in squalid conditions. The cops trying to solve the crimes range are flawed, shallow and boring except for Rachel, the new recruit, who is unbelievably despicable and totally unsuited for such a job. It’s impossible to believe they see her as potentially brilliant as she hares after suspects with no crime-solving ability whatsoever. There are no saving graces; the characters are awful; the book is awful. I found myself hoping they would all die as quickly as possible so the book would end and I could cross it off my list. Too bad Goodreads doesn’t offer a zero stars option.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roughly a decade after watching the first two seasons of Scott & Bailey, I binged the rest of it this month and had an absolute blast. So imagine my delight when I looked it up in the library catalog to see which branch still had season 1, and learned there are TIE-IN NOVELS??

A cut above the usual kind too, I think, or maybe it's just the strength of this show -- the cases are definitely the strongest part for me, which translates well to a detective novel, but within that framework are some excellent characters. The women are of course the standouts, but even the men on the team -- who really get no personal development except in service to the women -- are all distinctive enough characters that they're a joy to read. This really feels exactly like getting a bonus episode of the show.

The fact that this particular book explicitly functions as a prequel to the series, and does a bang-up job of introducing both Gill & Janet's original connection and showing how Rachel learns to fit into an MIT squad for the first time (brashness and bull-headedness clashing with the calm and level Janet most of the way), is just the icing on the cake.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like police procedurals, this book will likely please you. It is very heavy on the procedural part, which I enjoy, but also has very rich character development and interesting portraits of some of the grittier environs of Manchester, England. The three main characters, including the Senior Investigating Officer, are all female detectives on a Manchester murder squad. That’s a nice change of pace. They have complicated individual histories as well as complex relationships with each other and their families. Though new to me, Staincliffe is a veteran author of detective fiction. I’ll be coming back for more of her stories soon.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. I've seen the television show & liked it a lot. The book is just as good &, I believe, written after the tv show was created. I especially like the Boss, Gill, a highly competent manager & experienced copper. Awesome to have THREE interesting, complex and strong women leads. The mystery was compelling and sad and good. I will search out additional stories by Cath Staincliffe. She writes tightly & fast-paced. Bit jargon heavy, but somewhat expected for a British police procedural novel.

[DrJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really good to read about the characters I've watched in the hit ITV series. I love reading a novel based on, or is a spin off of, a TV programme as I have all the faces and voices ready made in my head and so I can be really lazy and don't have to use my imagination too much! I can see the action unfolding very clearly in my mind's eye. It was particularly interesting to find out about Janet Scott's background and why she and Gill are so close. It was also funny to see how she begins, slowly, to warm to Rachel Bailey. Looking forward and his next installment.

[Wayne Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've not watched any of the TV series even though I have the box set and been meaning to watch it. I'm glad i read the book first.
From the very first page I was gripped and couldn't put it down.
So many twists and turns the biggest being at the end which I wasn't expecting at all.
Every little detail has been taken into consideration with this book with the policing stuff we wouldn't even think of.
The characters are great and all have their own personal dramas going on.
I can't wait to read the next book.

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have watched the series, Scott and Bailey, on BritBox based on the characters and settings in this book. It is not clear to me what the relationship between the book and the series is, but I believe this to be a prequel, written after the series was created. Usually, I would prefer a book to a film version, but in this case, it is the series that is more interesting and fleshed out. There is too much Manchester and police jargon, and police procedures are spelled out in a way that is unnecessary in the filmed version.