Death Trap

London #9

by Sadie Gordon Richmond

There can be little doubt about the level of premeditation involved in blocking up a boiler flue, or the collateral damage if the intended victim doesn’t live alone. When Rory Hamilton and Hailey Wilson are found dead at home, DCI Lawrence Forrester wonders which of them was the focus of the attack.

Rory was a wealthy man, and, with Hailey having died alongside him, his grown-up children stand to inherit everything. Did his money – and the knowledge that he was set to alter his will – motivate one of them to kill? Or does the explanation lie in Hailey’s past, and the ties she attempted to sever when she moved in with Rory after a whirlwind romance?

Not everyone can let go, as Lawrence knows all too well. Someone is convinced that he failed to secure justice for a young woman who died in an apparent accident a year ago, and is desperate to see him revisit the case.

And, in an effort to force his hand, they’re going after his thirteen-year-old daughter.

Genres: Mystery

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 24, 2023

About the author

Sadie Gordon Richmond works as a subeditor — possibly the only job where you can find yourself legitimately consulting a map of Middle-earth and watching videos of armadillos during the working day. She lives in London with her husband and their cats, but dreams of setting up home in north east Scotland. You can follow Sadie on Instagram @sadiegordonrichmond_author and Facebook.

Reviews

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another enjoyable read in a fantastic series. I can't believe we're at book nine already. This time, there are 2 stories in play. The first sees a teenage schoolgirl being abducted and this has links to an old case of Lawrence's, and the second involves the death of a couple in their home. An initial appearance of accidental death soon turns into a murder investigation.

I read this quite quickly. Both stories were riveting and I like the main characters anyway of Lawrence, Rebecca and Leighton from the previous books in the series. There are a few twists to the second story which had me flip-flopping around identifying the killer as the motive appeared clear, and the actual reveal took me by surprise (and I liked it). The personal lives of the characters play a part but never overly done and they feel like real people to me and that makes me feel more immersed in the story. I hope this series keeps going for a long time.

[Lindsay White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waiting for the next one now!

I’ve enjoyed all of Sadie’s London Series. Not just the police procedurals but the human side of her books as well. Her characters are well rounded and believable, even the children. I’ve become invested in the lives of the characters and can’t wait to see where they go next, assuming there are going to be more books, which I hope there are. I read all nine in the space of three weeks. I’ve only given four stars and not five (I would have given four and a half) because some of the author’s ‘meanderings’ were a bit long winded in parts and not that relevant to the story. Also, by the time you get to the later books it’s slightly annoying when things you already know are explained over again. I can forgive those though because the stories are always great. I did guess who did it in book nine but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of it. Make sure you read them in order!

[PJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no doubt about it, Sadie Gordon Richmond is an author who knows how to grab her readers in her clutches from the very start and, take them on a gripping high tension, absorbing journey.

Death Trap, book 9 in her London series, once again sees DCI Lawrence Forrester facing an investigation that is both complex and full of leads that turn up empty. And as with all of the books I have read by this author, the plot is highly plausible giving it the credibility that I find some crime thrillers miss.

Would I recommend Death Trap? Absolutely yes. But if you prefer getting hooked on a series which never disappoints, then I would highly recommend The London series.

[Annette Hoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first time reading this author's book and I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader for this one.

Found I grew quite attached to the main characters DCI Lawrence Foster, DS Rebecca Palmer and pathologist Leighton Campbell. Liked how they worked together and solved the two crimes, an abduction and 2 deaths interlaced through the book.

Definitely recommend Death Trap and I will be going back to read the ones before.

[Rebecca Charlesworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a first for me by this author and won’t be my last. Although this is book 9 in a series it really could be read as a standalone, though I love to see how characters develop in a series so will be going back and starting from the beginning. A well written police procedural, a good group of characters, I think Leighton is standing out as a great character for me, and the fact he hails from Sheffield is a bonus.

[Angie Petty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. There were two stories going on here a missing child and a double suicide. Not every thing was as it seemed. I liked the police team involved in the apparent suicide and think they have developed into a good series. Lawrence (the detective) and Leighton (the pathologist) really bounced off each other very well. I particularly liked the well rounded characters and we learned enough about their private lives to care about them but not too much to get bogged down. One character I particularly liked was Mercedes whose description was of a person I would normally shy away from as being shallow and self centred, but I really liked her and admired her morals. Excellent book well done Sadie Gordon Richmond.

[Marcie Whitecotton-Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read by this author and I enjoyed it immensely. The plot moves along and it is a great story. Enough action to keep you going. The characters are very interesting and engaging. I highly recommend this book and I plan to go back and read the rest of the series.

I can't wait for the next one!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book as an ARC.

I really enjoyed this book, a great (very believable) story. Now I need to read the previous books in the series to find out more about all the characters.