Deep Cover

Harry Vicary #2

by Peter Turnbull

A Harry Vicary Mystery - the second novel in a brand-new crime series set in London from the author of the Hennessey and Yellich mysteries. - When the snow thaws on London's Hampstead Heath after a harsh winter, a ghoulish discovery is made that marks the start of a very dangerous case for Detective Inspector Harry Vicary and his team. A body of a man is found on top of a shallow grave containing the battered remains of a young woman. He appears to have frozen to death - but what is his connection to the remains below? Vicary's investigation leads him deep into London's criminal underworld.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 20, 2011

About the author

Peter Turnbull is the author of nineteen previous novels and numerous works of short fiction. He worked for many years as a social worker in Glasgow before returning to his native Yorkshire.

Reviews

[Alex Cantone · Rating 4 out of 5]

'I am . . . I have never lived anywhere but London. For me the world stops at High Barnet.'

'Irish Mickie' is found dead, face-down in the snow on Hampstead Heath, apparently of hypothermia, yet beneath his body lies a second, that of a missing woman he buried there, in a shallow grave.

This is a good solid English police procedural, easy reading, and chilling at times. The characters are well-rounded, especially the young woman DC who goes 'Deep Cover' as a homeless person to uncover a series of brutal killings by a businessman who uses heavies to do the dirty work. The end is a bit tame, but hard to fault otherwise.

[Tbfrank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detective Harry Vicary and his murder squad investigate an apparent death by misadventure - a body revealed by a sudden thaw on Hampstead Heath in London. Yet the curious placement of the body over what proved to be a shallow grave leads to a list of missing persons going back more than 10 years, and a brutal criminal enterprise involved in prostitution and drug smuggling, among other crimes.

Despite a plodding pace which gives a tedious first impression, the novel is quick to read and throws light in the dark corners of life in London's East End. The cast of characters is large and the story would be better served with fewer - the variety of unusual names is eye-catching. Given the preponderance of English slang and abbreviated references to locale, the style is likely to be more popular with the UK audience than US.

[Ann Dewar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bizarrely old fashioned - I kept Re-checking the publication date as I found it hard to believe - with very stilted characters speaking even more stilted dialogue. ... And of course the female officer needed to be rescued. Well of COURSE she did, it was that sort of book 🙄

There are lots of other books out there, I really wouldn’t recommend persevering with this one.

[Sherrida · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this as well as I like the Shetland or Vera series. It may be because the characters aren't familiar yet but none of them, including Harry, seemed all that interesting.

[Tasula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good police procedural with a focus on the crime(s) and less on the police's private lives, which I appreciate.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Deep Cover is a modern day Oliver Twist, with an evil Fagin holding hopeless, hapless young people hostage and addicted. It's a classic British police procedural featuring Detective Inspector Harry Vicary who's helping his alcoholic wife with "cold caring".

Peter Turnbull is a prolific author and is published by Severn House. Deep Cover is the second in his Inspector Vicary series and if you want more Turnbull, there are 20 and counting in the Hennessy and Yellich series and another 12 or so in the P Division series published 1981-1998.

--Ashland Mystery

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other than a few problems understanding some of the local language, this was a very entertaining book.The characters are clearly drawn, and the story very plausible. The ending, however, is a little forced.

I have found a new author to follow, and he has so many prior titles, I'll be a while catching up.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent British police procedural. The coppers are good; the villains villainous. Not a whole lot of character development. I thought the way the author finished things was too cursory, but it was an entertaining book, overall.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid, quick read. Picked up the British slang well enough. Not a lot of character development, but it's okay for a short police story. Not really a mystery, really just police fiction.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although plot was decent, the writing was pretty stilted and characters not very well developed. Did finish, but found it annoying.

[Raine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read.

[Hapzydeco · Rating 3 out of 5]

A suicide in the snow closes a cold case and more.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual, a good read.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

#2 in the New Scotland Yard Detective Inspector Harry Vicary mystery series. "...because a man chose to commit suicide by lying down in the snow right on top of a shallow grave he had dug some ten years earlier." he opens the door for Harry and his team to discover the operations of a vicious criminal gang that has been operating for years.

[Lou Ann Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Police Procedural!

This story intertwined several stories with villains and nasties all around. The dialogue is interesting and factual. The characters well developed and the plot is laid out fully.