Dead Wrong

Sal Kilkenny #3

by Cath Staincliffe

Sal Kilkenny, single mother and private eye, has two very frightened clients on her hands. One, divorcee Debbie Gosforth, is the victim of a deranged stalker; the other, teenager Luke Wallace, is afraid he might be a murderer. But as Sal sets about finding the identity of the stalker who's making Debbie's life a living hell, the IRA bomb the Arndale Center and a summer of terror begins. . .

Genres: Crime, Ebooks, Fiction

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1998

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

[Colin Garrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the summer of Euro ’96, Manchester is targeted by an IRA Bomb. In the midst of the ensuing confusion, private investigator Sal Kilkenny takes on two new clients – both very frightened. One is the victim of a stalker, while the other, a teenager, is terrified of being branded as a murderer after his best friend is found stabbed to death…

This is book three in the Sal Kilkenny series and it gets off to a great start. Struggling to balance her working life with child-rearing, gardening, and managing domestic arrangements with her housemate, Sal Kilkenny takes on what appears to be a run-of-the-mill case, but things soon get interesting with her other investigation – particularly when she discovers that more than a few people are lying through their teeth. Ms Staincliffe’s writing is always down to earth and very British, with a dry sense of humour that prevents her heroine from coming over as too clever. The story isn’t totally resolved this time – which is nice, as too many writers feel they must tie up every character’s storyline before the end.

An entertaining book that kept me eagerly turning the pages all the way through.

[Sofface · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not the most well-written book I've ever read. I did find a lot of small words missing. Not sure if it was intentional, but I didn't like it.
Additionally, I feel there was a fair bit of unnecessary detail throughout. However, this being from a series, they may relate to earlier/later events.
All in all, not a bad read. Would reccommend it to someone dipping their toes into the mystery genre.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good series!

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was better than the last one I read of this author. It has a bid more excitement and a a few more interesting characters and a bit of a story line.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in about three hours - definitely a page turner. I found the different threads of the story - Sal's different cases, her home life - seemed to be woven together better in this than in the previous two Sal Kilkenny novels by Cath Staincliffe. Not everything was resolved with the cases, but enough ends were tied up to leave me satisfied. I think I share Sal's housemate Ray's puzzlement at why she keeps working in a job that is so dangerous (Sal once again was assaulted by bad guys) and emotionally draining - but at the same time I can understand why Sal feels compelled to keep going - a mixture of the desire to help people and the compulsion to solve mysteries...

[Adele · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read by an author I've not come across before. Apparently she's a Manchester based crime writer who along with these Sal Kilkenny PI novels she also writes the Scott & Bailey books, based on the much loved ITV1 police series and is creator and scriptwriter of Blue Murder, ITV’s hit detective drama starring Caroline Quentin as DCI Janine Lewis.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. I have enjoyed all of the Sal Kilkenny books in order and the stories are superb. A real person with a home life and the issues of being a single parent and a private eye trying to make a living from the cases available to her

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the way that the different cases are interlinked continuing how the books in the series are written. There is however the odd typo or formatting problem in the Kindle version that distracts from what is otherwise a compelling read.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another well crafted story of Mancunian PI Sal Kilkenny, who is asked to look into the case of a young man whose father believes he's been wrongly accused.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third book in the Sal Kilkenny series. I enjoyed this book the most by far. A quick read but a real page-turner. Love the feisty Sal character.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not her best

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

entertaining read of small time private detective who seems to get beaten up at the end of every book

[Emma Sargeant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoy the Sal Kilkenny books and this one did not disappoint