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Eastbourne Murder Mystery #2
When the Dead Speak
Secrets can be fatal. But so can the truth.
When the murdered body of Lauren Shaw is discovered laid out on the altar of St Mary the Virgin church in Eastbourne it sends a chill to the core of those who have lived in the area for a long time. They remember another woman, also young and pretty, whose slain corpse was placed in the same spot 60 years ago.
Dee Doran is as intrigued as the rest but focused on her investigation of the whereabouts of a missing person from the Polish community. The police weren’t interested but Dee’s journalistic instincts tell her something is amiss.
But as she starts asking questions Dee finds the answers all point to the same conclusion - someone is keeping secrets and they will do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
A chilling and gripping crime thriller that fans of Fiona Barton and Alex Marwood will love.
When the murdered body of Lauren Shaw is discovered laid out on the altar of St Mary the Virgin church in Eastbourne it sends a chill to the core of those who have lived in the area for a long time. They remember another woman, also young and pretty, whose slain corpse was placed in the same spot 60 years ago.
Dee Doran is as intrigued as the rest but focused on her investigation of the whereabouts of a missing person from the Polish community. The police weren’t interested but Dee’s journalistic instincts tell her something is amiss.
But as she starts asking questions Dee finds the answers all point to the same conclusion - someone is keeping secrets and they will do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
A chilling and gripping crime thriller that fans of Fiona Barton and Alex Marwood will love.
- GenresCrime
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 9, 2020
21 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Bugler
31 books108 followersI'm the author of the Ellen Kelly and Dee Doran crime novels. My first stand alone novel, The Lucky Eight, is published in July 2021.
I grew up in a small town in the west of Ireland. After studying Psychology at University College Galway, I left Ireland and worked in Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland, Argentina and London before finally settling in Eastbourne, where I now live with my husband, Sean, and our two children.
I grew up in a small town in the west of Ireland. After studying Psychology at University College Galway, I left Ireland and worked in Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland, Argentina and London before finally settling in Eastbourne, where I now live with my husband, Sean, and our two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
July 1, 2020
Dee Doran & Ed Mitchell #2
This time investigative journalist Dee Doran is looking into the disappearance of a young Eastern European woman. There's also the murder of a woman who had been laid out in the church. The body had been laid out in a similar position to another murder that happened sixty years ago. But back then the main suspect, Graham had been murdered. Ed has been asked to be taken off the case of the murder victim due to a family connection.
Set in Eastbourne. The plotline is complex and cleverly written with a few subplots. It's told in the past by entries in the diary that belonged to Emma Ried (Graham's mother)) sixty years ago and present day by Dee Doran. There's plenty of curve balls thrown at you. The characters are well crafted and believable. Ed is keeping secrets from Dee. Will their relationship survive? This is turning out to be a really good series. I liked this book more than the first one. A gripping whodunnit you won't want to put down until you reach the conclusion.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Canelo and the author Sheila Bugler for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This time investigative journalist Dee Doran is looking into the disappearance of a young Eastern European woman. There's also the murder of a woman who had been laid out in the church. The body had been laid out in a similar position to another murder that happened sixty years ago. But back then the main suspect, Graham had been murdered. Ed has been asked to be taken off the case of the murder victim due to a family connection.
Set in Eastbourne. The plotline is complex and cleverly written with a few subplots. It's told in the past by entries in the diary that belonged to Emma Ried (Graham's mother)) sixty years ago and present day by Dee Doran. There's plenty of curve balls thrown at you. The characters are well crafted and believable. Ed is keeping secrets from Dee. Will their relationship survive? This is turning out to be a really good series. I liked this book more than the first one. A gripping whodunnit you won't want to put down until you reach the conclusion.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Canelo and the author Sheila Bugler for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo for the arc of When the dead speak by Shelia Bugler❤️
Thanks to Shelia Bugler for writing this captivating novel❤️
Story follows the unravelling of Emma's diary from the 1960's and later. Emma has a son in which she named Graham he is accused of killing a woman named Mary Palmer who's body was found left in the church ⛪, She's Graham's mother she knows he wouldn't do such a thing but before his innocence of guilt is proven he is killed.. his mother devestated doesn't give up until she finds the real culprit of this crime but unfortunately this tragedy haunts the family down in generations ❤️
60 years later another woman was found murdered replicated the murder of Mary as both was found in a church, Ed asked to be taken off this case, he knows his family has secrets but hasn't spoken about it.
Dee is asked by this woman who's polish to investigate the disapparence of Joanna who's her friend who went to meet a gentleman at a hotel called the Aldrington Hotel 🏨 five weeks ago❤️
She think Joanna and Lauren's death is connected and hotel owner Derek French as his son kyle was
Lauren's boyfriend why does his dad and mum deny ever knowing either of the woman ... 😱
This was an amazing book as loved how it unravelled from Emma's diary pages, and the investigating of the murders... The twists and turns keep you mind-blowed for ages and I was on the edge of my seat
Definitely recommend ❤️
5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks to Shelia Bugler for writing this captivating novel❤️
Story follows the unravelling of Emma's diary from the 1960's and later. Emma has a son in which she named Graham he is accused of killing a woman named Mary Palmer who's body was found left in the church ⛪, She's Graham's mother she knows he wouldn't do such a thing but before his innocence of guilt is proven he is killed.. his mother devestated doesn't give up until she finds the real culprit of this crime but unfortunately this tragedy haunts the family down in generations ❤️
60 years later another woman was found murdered replicated the murder of Mary as both was found in a church, Ed asked to be taken off this case, he knows his family has secrets but hasn't spoken about it.
Dee is asked by this woman who's polish to investigate the disapparence of Joanna who's her friend who went to meet a gentleman at a hotel called the Aldrington Hotel 🏨 five weeks ago❤️
She think Joanna and Lauren's death is connected and hotel owner Derek French as his son kyle was
Lauren's boyfriend why does his dad and mum deny ever knowing either of the woman ... 😱
This was an amazing book as loved how it unravelled from Emma's diary pages, and the investigating of the murders... The twists and turns keep you mind-blowed for ages and I was on the edge of my seat
Definitely recommend ❤️
5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 2, 2021
I don't know what I expected from this book but I was pleasantly surprised. WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK is the second in the Eastbourne series featuring investigative journalist Dee Doran and her detective boyfriend Ed Mitchell. Of course I wasn't aware of it being part of a series when I selected it, but that doesn't matter because the story suffices perfectly as a standalone. There are a few references to the previous book but nothing to lose the reader as to its direction. It is essentially a gripping whodunnit with a thoroughly entertaining plot.
When the body of Lauren Shaw is discovered laid out on the altar of St Mary the Virgin Church in Eastbourne town, Detective Ed Mitchell is called to the scene immediately. But not for the reason he expects. As soon as he enters the church, he knows that he must recuse himself of the investigation leaving his partner Rachel Lewis as SIO in his place. The scene before him has chills running through him as memories of his grandmother haunt him. And only two people knew the secret of his grandmother...one of them is standing beside him. The other is sprawled out on the church's altar.
Sixty years ago an identical murder took place in this town. Eighteen year old Mary Palmer's body was also found laid out on the altar of the same church on 5th March 1960, with the same wounds as those of Lauren. Not only that...the two women were related. Mary would have been Lauren's cousin, related through her grandmother Annabelle Shaw nee Palmer. And now the two women were murdered in the exact same way sixty years apart. Ed knows this cannot be a coincidence.
When Ed left her house this morning after she blurted out that he should move in with her, Dee knew something was different about this call-out. Rachel had just said there was something he needed to see instead of tasking him with an investigation. And then her cousin, also a journalist, Louise alerts her to the murder and its similarities to a sixty year old one. This, of course, piques her interest and despite being involved in her own investigation into the disappearance of a young Polish woman Joana Helinski, Dee can't help but wonder how the two murders relate to Ed. She waits for him to enlighten her but when he doesn't she not only becomes suspicious but angry that he doesn't trust her enough to confide in her, particularly after her disastrous marriage to the adulterous Billy.
Instead Dee continues in her investigation into Joana's disappearance whose last known whereabouts was the illustrious Aldrington Hotel to meet a gentleman some five weeks ago. She hasn't been seen or heard from since and her best friend Eliza is increasingly worried about her. But the deeper Dee delves, the more she is convinced that Joana's disappearance and Lauren's murder are linked. The two women knew each other. Lauren worked at the Aldrington, while Joana frequented there with male guests and they were also both regulars at a pub patronised by the Polish community.
When Dee shares her thoughts with Ed he is quick to disagree. While she is certain Joana and Lauren's cases are linked, he believes that Lauren's murder goes way back to Mary Palmer's six decades ago. And when she tries to get him to confide in her, he shuts down. What is it that he is keeping from her?
And then Louise calls her with the news that her paper is going to run an exclusive the following day which ties Ed to Mary Palmer's murder sixty years ago in the form of his uncle who was thought to be her murderer and in which his family had been ostracised and bullied for many years after. Ed is sure Lauren had discovered something that shone a light on who was really responsible and that was why she was killed. But could it be that both Joana and Mary's cases were tied to Lauren's murder?
WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK is a cleverly written whodunnit in a style reminiscent of Agatha Christie. But with a simple plotline and various subplots throughout there are plenty of further twists to keep the reader guessing from beginning to end. Just when you think you know who is responsible, Bugler throws us another curve to distract us. Although the plot is complex, the story is fairly simplistic in nature. There's just plenty of red herrings thrown in along the way.
I love the simplistic storytelling through the third person narrative of mainly Dee but often Ed and Louise as well. The inclusion of Emma Reed's diary excerpts from sixty years ago up until her death eighteen years later is a clever addition that brings life to the Mary Palmer aspect and a voice to the mother of man accused of murdering her. And then I loved how it is all cleverly woven together with the present story.
I honestly have plenty of series to keep me occupied and I wasn't going to add yet another to my list, but after reading WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK I feel I am now going to have to seek out the first book and follow any subsequent ones and add them to my ever growing TBR list.
A delightful read, WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK is crime fiction at its best. Part cosy part thriller, this book is simple in its "complexities" with straight forward plot that is as intriguing as it is clever. My only complaint is Dee's dismissal at the very end of the book which I found to be a tad unfair as well as her high expectations all round concerning Ed and those of Ella and Jake.
Overall, a fun quick read that can be read in one sitting. Perfect for crime fiction fans of Joy Ellis, Daisy White and J.R. Ellis.
I would like to thank #SheilaBugler, #Netgalley and #Canelo for an ARC of #WhenTheDeadSpeak in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
When the body of Lauren Shaw is discovered laid out on the altar of St Mary the Virgin Church in Eastbourne town, Detective Ed Mitchell is called to the scene immediately. But not for the reason he expects. As soon as he enters the church, he knows that he must recuse himself of the investigation leaving his partner Rachel Lewis as SIO in his place. The scene before him has chills running through him as memories of his grandmother haunt him. And only two people knew the secret of his grandmother...one of them is standing beside him. The other is sprawled out on the church's altar.
Sixty years ago an identical murder took place in this town. Eighteen year old Mary Palmer's body was also found laid out on the altar of the same church on 5th March 1960, with the same wounds as those of Lauren. Not only that...the two women were related. Mary would have been Lauren's cousin, related through her grandmother Annabelle Shaw nee Palmer. And now the two women were murdered in the exact same way sixty years apart. Ed knows this cannot be a coincidence.
When Ed left her house this morning after she blurted out that he should move in with her, Dee knew something was different about this call-out. Rachel had just said there was something he needed to see instead of tasking him with an investigation. And then her cousin, also a journalist, Louise alerts her to the murder and its similarities to a sixty year old one. This, of course, piques her interest and despite being involved in her own investigation into the disappearance of a young Polish woman Joana Helinski, Dee can't help but wonder how the two murders relate to Ed. She waits for him to enlighten her but when he doesn't she not only becomes suspicious but angry that he doesn't trust her enough to confide in her, particularly after her disastrous marriage to the adulterous Billy.
Instead Dee continues in her investigation into Joana's disappearance whose last known whereabouts was the illustrious Aldrington Hotel to meet a gentleman some five weeks ago. She hasn't been seen or heard from since and her best friend Eliza is increasingly worried about her. But the deeper Dee delves, the more she is convinced that Joana's disappearance and Lauren's murder are linked. The two women knew each other. Lauren worked at the Aldrington, while Joana frequented there with male guests and they were also both regulars at a pub patronised by the Polish community.
When Dee shares her thoughts with Ed he is quick to disagree. While she is certain Joana and Lauren's cases are linked, he believes that Lauren's murder goes way back to Mary Palmer's six decades ago. And when she tries to get him to confide in her, he shuts down. What is it that he is keeping from her?
And then Louise calls her with the news that her paper is going to run an exclusive the following day which ties Ed to Mary Palmer's murder sixty years ago in the form of his uncle who was thought to be her murderer and in which his family had been ostracised and bullied for many years after. Ed is sure Lauren had discovered something that shone a light on who was really responsible and that was why she was killed. But could it be that both Joana and Mary's cases were tied to Lauren's murder?
WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK is a cleverly written whodunnit in a style reminiscent of Agatha Christie. But with a simple plotline and various subplots throughout there are plenty of further twists to keep the reader guessing from beginning to end. Just when you think you know who is responsible, Bugler throws us another curve to distract us. Although the plot is complex, the story is fairly simplistic in nature. There's just plenty of red herrings thrown in along the way.
I love the simplistic storytelling through the third person narrative of mainly Dee but often Ed and Louise as well. The inclusion of Emma Reed's diary excerpts from sixty years ago up until her death eighteen years later is a clever addition that brings life to the Mary Palmer aspect and a voice to the mother of man accused of murdering her. And then I loved how it is all cleverly woven together with the present story.
I honestly have plenty of series to keep me occupied and I wasn't going to add yet another to my list, but after reading WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK I feel I am now going to have to seek out the first book and follow any subsequent ones and add them to my ever growing TBR list.
A delightful read, WHEN THE DEAD SPEAK is crime fiction at its best. Part cosy part thriller, this book is simple in its "complexities" with straight forward plot that is as intriguing as it is clever. My only complaint is Dee's dismissal at the very end of the book which I found to be a tad unfair as well as her high expectations all round concerning Ed and those of Ella and Jake.
Overall, a fun quick read that can be read in one sitting. Perfect for crime fiction fans of Joy Ellis, Daisy White and J.R. Ellis.
I would like to thank #SheilaBugler, #Netgalley and #Canelo for an ARC of #WhenTheDeadSpeak in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
August 8, 2020
Investigative journalist Dee returned looking into the disappearance of a Polish woman. A murder occurred elsewhere similar to one that had occurred 60 years ago.
Past and present intermingled in this detailed plot line. Twists abounded. I liked how the characters grew on me. The writing kept the prose flowing smoothly. Overall, a fun read
Past and present intermingled in this detailed plot line. Twists abounded. I liked how the characters grew on me. The writing kept the prose flowing smoothly. Overall, a fun read
October 13, 2022
I had previously read this book three years ago, but having recently read the next one in the Dee Doran series , l felt l had to read it again. Must now find the first book in the series, why do l never read books in the right order! A good story line, with police and journalists working on the same crime.
June 16, 2020
Crime writing of the highest order. This is the first book by Sheila Bugler I have read. I am about to order all her others!
So many crime writers today think they need a highly convoluted multi-layered plot that I sometimes find them so complex I really couldn't care less whodunnit by the time I reach the end.
Sheila Bugler presents a straight-forward plot that is highly intriguing, with well-rounded characters, sprinkled with red herrings & full of clever twists & turns.
Reminiscent of Agatha Christie at her innovative peak, this is the best crime novel I've read in 2020.
So many crime writers today think they need a highly convoluted multi-layered plot that I sometimes find them so complex I really couldn't care less whodunnit by the time I reach the end.
Sheila Bugler presents a straight-forward plot that is highly intriguing, with well-rounded characters, sprinkled with red herrings & full of clever twists & turns.
Reminiscent of Agatha Christie at her innovative peak, this is the best crime novel I've read in 2020.
April 16, 2022
Not for me! Too much going on, flicking from past to present and way too many characters. I just couldn’t keep up with the story. Every time I picked up the book I had to keep flicking back to remind myself who was who. Not a great ending either! And Dee was so unforgiving!
It’s a pity because I have enjoyed other books I’ve read by this author but this book had too much going on to enjoy it!!! Unless you have a super memory!!
It’s a pity because I have enjoyed other books I’ve read by this author but this book had too much going on to enjoy it!!! Unless you have a super memory!!
July 13, 2020
A page turner with a gripping and entertaining plot, a great cast of characters and a solid mystery.
I couldn't put it down and I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I couldn't put it down and I strongly recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
July 6, 2020
When the Dead Speak by Sheila Bugler is a twisty and addictive anachronic-style psychological thriller that drew me in right from the beginning. Narrated in third person, the present-day timeline focalises on the perspective of Dee Doran, an investigative journalist. What makes Dee’s character so compelling is not only how we see her struggling with what appears to be an impossible investigation, but also the problems she faces in her personal life. This is the second book in the series, and whilst the novel works as a stand-alone story, I'm itching to read the first book to find out what has gone on with Dee in the past. And now just when things are starting to look up for Dee, her relationship with Ed seems to take one step forward and two steps back. I loved both of these characters but at times felt like banging their heads together!
Ed is a senior detective, so when the body of a teenage girl is discovered at the local church, it seems logical that Ed would be part of the investigation. However, the case appears to be a copy-cat of the murder of a young woman who is linked to Ed’s past and he is quickly removed from the investigation. But is the murder also linked to Dee’s missing case? Dee seems to think so, but Ed thinks she’s being ridiculous. Who is right?
The past timeline has an epistolary-style narration and is told in the form of a journal left by Emma Reed, Ed’s grandmother. Emma has an incredibly sad story to tell and it is this deep level of heart-wrenching characterisation that explores exactly what it means to be human. This part of the story will leave you sobbing – so make sure you have plenty of tissues!
As the two timelines converge, and Ed faces the demons of his past, murders from both the past and present are solved - but whose? I guess you will just have to read and find out for yourself! And what happens to Dee and Ed’s relationship? Yet another strand of the story that had me sobbing! I need the next book in the series NOW!!
I would recommend this book for fans of Jane Corry, Cara Hunter, or Elizabeth Hill.
Ed is a senior detective, so when the body of a teenage girl is discovered at the local church, it seems logical that Ed would be part of the investigation. However, the case appears to be a copy-cat of the murder of a young woman who is linked to Ed’s past and he is quickly removed from the investigation. But is the murder also linked to Dee’s missing case? Dee seems to think so, but Ed thinks she’s being ridiculous. Who is right?
The past timeline has an epistolary-style narration and is told in the form of a journal left by Emma Reed, Ed’s grandmother. Emma has an incredibly sad story to tell and it is this deep level of heart-wrenching characterisation that explores exactly what it means to be human. This part of the story will leave you sobbing – so make sure you have plenty of tissues!
As the two timelines converge, and Ed faces the demons of his past, murders from both the past and present are solved - but whose? I guess you will just have to read and find out for yourself! And what happens to Dee and Ed’s relationship? Yet another strand of the story that had me sobbing! I need the next book in the series NOW!!
I would recommend this book for fans of Jane Corry, Cara Hunter, or Elizabeth Hill.
June 13, 2020
This is a whodunit twice over, with what appears to be identical murders some sixty years apart. Both women were of similar age and left in the same unusual place. It seems that someone is leaving a message. The story is told in the past from the diary of a lady called Emma going way back to the 1960s and the time when her son Graham is accused of murdering the first victim. Graham ended his life after, something his mother blamed on the people that continually hounded him, she always swore he was innocent.
In present day, Dee Doran, a local newspaper reporter has promised to look into the disappearance of a young Polish woman. Dee sort of lives with the policeman investigating the new murder but due to personal connections he has asked to be taken off the case, unknown to Dee.
This is both a fascinating and at times complex novel with the big question being what connection the two victims had and why they were killed in the same way? The case is certainly tense with sheer gutsy moments with Dee as she punches peoples buttons to stir them up. Wow, this lady has some nerves of steel. She has to be my favourite character in the story.
Leave yourself plenty of time to read this if not you will seem like an uncaring mother, partner or friend that lets the world go by without you while you finish the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
In present day, Dee Doran, a local newspaper reporter has promised to look into the disappearance of a young Polish woman. Dee sort of lives with the policeman investigating the new murder but due to personal connections he has asked to be taken off the case, unknown to Dee.
This is both a fascinating and at times complex novel with the big question being what connection the two victims had and why they were killed in the same way? The case is certainly tense with sheer gutsy moments with Dee as she punches peoples buttons to stir them up. Wow, this lady has some nerves of steel. She has to be my favourite character in the story.
Leave yourself plenty of time to read this if not you will seem like an uncaring mother, partner or friend that lets the world go by without you while you finish the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
August 5, 2020
This is the second book I've read by Sheila Bugler.
Very enjoyable read. I like the characters, very believable.
Would have given it 5⭐ but got a bit confused by the family relationships.
Highly recommended.
Very enjoyable read. I like the characters, very believable.
Would have given it 5⭐ but got a bit confused by the family relationships.
Highly recommended.
March 7, 2025
Disappointing follow up to an excellent first book. Everything is a little too predictable and the book lacks the twists that entice you to read that one more chapter before you go to bed. Hopefully the next book will be a bit more exciting
June 11, 2023
My friend loaned her copy of this book to me, and I quite liked it.
It was an entertaining mystery, and I liked the main character.
It was an entertaining mystery, and I liked the main character.
May 17, 2020
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book
i hadnt realised this was book 2 in the series and kept thinking as i was reading it some of these people sound familiar so imagine my surprise and delight when i went and looked book 1 up....and low and behold they were one and the same
a murder with the victim displayed in a church with similar injuries to another murder committed several years ago...but the perp now is dead so how is it possible for it to be similar....
brilliantly written and kept me glued till the end....it was lovely to catch up with the characters to see how they had progressed
cant wait for the next one in this series....gonna keep an eye for more of this authors works
i hadnt realised this was book 2 in the series and kept thinking as i was reading it some of these people sound familiar so imagine my surprise and delight when i went and looked book 1 up....and low and behold they were one and the same
a murder with the victim displayed in a church with similar injuries to another murder committed several years ago...but the perp now is dead so how is it possible for it to be similar....
brilliantly written and kept me glued till the end....it was lovely to catch up with the characters to see how they had progressed
cant wait for the next one in this series....gonna keep an eye for more of this authors works
August 26, 2020
I found the main character incredibly irritating and didn't enjoy the story as much because of that. Rather predictable.
August 13, 2024
A murder mystery that ticks all the boxes.
A young woman is found dead on the altar of St Mary's church in a scene that parallels an unsolved murder from sixty years previously. Freelance journalist Dee sets out to investigate but her police detective boyfriend Ed is off the case because his now-dead uncle was accused of the earlier crime. Cue repeated lies and failures of communication between the two of them as Ed goes maverick to try to clear his uncle's name and Dee has trust issues. Characters include sleazy hoteliers, dying doctors and self-righteous Christians. In the end, after the principal ladies encounter life-threatening violence, the convoluted plot is unravelled.
It was a quick, easy read. I found it a little difficult to keep on top of who was who among the suspects, especially as there were two sets, from the past and from the present. The narrative was regularly broken by flashbacks using the device of diary entries from the 1960s which lacked verisimilitude; it just didn't sound like a diary. On the other hand, the use of real places in and around Eastbourne (the Hydro hotel, the pier, St Mary's Church, the Lamb Inn, Seasons cafe at the Harbour) added credibility for someone like myself, who lives there.
I think my biggest problem lay with Dee and Ed's relationship. They repeatedly failed to communicate either by omission or the use of falsehoods. This created lots and lots of conflict but it seemed artificial. They fell out with monotonous regularity, as if they sensed when the plot needed another twist to maintain the tension. Ed, who had been quite a believable character in the first of this series, I Could Be You, was reduced to a stereotypical male while Dee was eternally ready to see the worst in him while giving herself a blanket pardon for the same sins. His obstinacy was her strength of character ("if other people felt differently that was their problem, not hers"; Ch 15). She made everything about her, from the fact that her neighbour had other friends and might move away from the substandard caravan she rented from her to the fact that her cousin was having an affair; Dee was always the centre of her youniverse.
But the pacing was spot on, with the turning points coming at all the right places, the book was easy to read and the pages quick to be turned.
Selected quotes:
"Unlike her husband, who was flashy to the point of trashy, everything about Karen's appearance seemed designed to make her as invisible as possible." (Ch 12)
August 2024; 348 pages
A young woman is found dead on the altar of St Mary's church in a scene that parallels an unsolved murder from sixty years previously. Freelance journalist Dee sets out to investigate but her police detective boyfriend Ed is off the case because his now-dead uncle was accused of the earlier crime. Cue repeated lies and failures of communication between the two of them as Ed goes maverick to try to clear his uncle's name and Dee has trust issues. Characters include sleazy hoteliers, dying doctors and self-righteous Christians. In the end, after the principal ladies encounter life-threatening violence, the convoluted plot is unravelled.
It was a quick, easy read. I found it a little difficult to keep on top of who was who among the suspects, especially as there were two sets, from the past and from the present. The narrative was regularly broken by flashbacks using the device of diary entries from the 1960s which lacked verisimilitude; it just didn't sound like a diary. On the other hand, the use of real places in and around Eastbourne (the Hydro hotel, the pier, St Mary's Church, the Lamb Inn, Seasons cafe at the Harbour) added credibility for someone like myself, who lives there.
I think my biggest problem lay with Dee and Ed's relationship. They repeatedly failed to communicate either by omission or the use of falsehoods. This created lots and lots of conflict but it seemed artificial. They fell out with monotonous regularity, as if they sensed when the plot needed another twist to maintain the tension. Ed, who had been quite a believable character in the first of this series, I Could Be You, was reduced to a stereotypical male while Dee was eternally ready to see the worst in him while giving herself a blanket pardon for the same sins. His obstinacy was her strength of character ("if other people felt differently that was their problem, not hers"; Ch 15). She made everything about her, from the fact that her neighbour had other friends and might move away from the substandard caravan she rented from her to the fact that her cousin was having an affair; Dee was always the centre of her youniverse.
But the pacing was spot on, with the turning points coming at all the right places, the book was easy to read and the pages quick to be turned.
Selected quotes:
"Unlike her husband, who was flashy to the point of trashy, everything about Karen's appearance seemed designed to make her as invisible as possible." (Ch 12)
August 2024; 348 pages
June 13, 2025
Having throughly enjoyed the first book in this series, I Could Be You, I was really looking forward to the next instalment. Not having to wait long, I jumped at the chance to read an advanced copy of When the Dead Speak when it was made available from the publisher and I was not disappointed.
For this second instalment which can be read as a stand-alone, we are reacquainted with journalist Dee Doran as she becomes entangled in two investigations. One that mirrors a murder that took place 60 years prior and the other where a local polish girl has gone missing. Throughout the story, it is always in the back of your mind how the two are going to be connected and Shelia does a great job in how she brings it all together.
There are a few characters in the story to keep track of, but Shelia is very clear on who each is and where they fit in, without it becoming too overwhelming. In regards to Dee, I just love her character and I really resonate with her. We are shown more of a vulnerable side to her, but her feistiness still shines through which is enjoyable. Her new relationship with Ed hits a rocky patch when she discovers he has been lying to her over his connection with both murder victims, present and past and we also get a good insight into his character.
I loved how the book is structured, starting at the present day which then morphs back to the past with dedicated chapters in the form of diaries entries dating back to the 1960’s. This is where the reader is made privy to the events of when and how the first murder took place and its connection to the present day murder. It is very cleverly done and is beautifully executed.
I also have to say that although it is not related to me in anyway, I did get a kick out of one of the minor characters being named Marnie, which is also my name and not one that you see used in books all that often. The icing on the cake was that this Marnie was from Australia too just like myself!
Everything about this book is on point. With it’s striking cover, an intriguing plot, a cast of characters that are real and come to life so vividly, the perfect setting in a picturesque seaside town, twists and turns aplenty, with just the right amount of tension and suspense to keep you engaged, makes this book such an enjoyable read. It was my absolute pleasure to read and review When the Dead Speak and I will be eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo and Sheila Buglar for allowing me to read an advanced copy of When the Dead Speak which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
For this second instalment which can be read as a stand-alone, we are reacquainted with journalist Dee Doran as she becomes entangled in two investigations. One that mirrors a murder that took place 60 years prior and the other where a local polish girl has gone missing. Throughout the story, it is always in the back of your mind how the two are going to be connected and Shelia does a great job in how she brings it all together.
There are a few characters in the story to keep track of, but Shelia is very clear on who each is and where they fit in, without it becoming too overwhelming. In regards to Dee, I just love her character and I really resonate with her. We are shown more of a vulnerable side to her, but her feistiness still shines through which is enjoyable. Her new relationship with Ed hits a rocky patch when she discovers he has been lying to her over his connection with both murder victims, present and past and we also get a good insight into his character.
I loved how the book is structured, starting at the present day which then morphs back to the past with dedicated chapters in the form of diaries entries dating back to the 1960’s. This is where the reader is made privy to the events of when and how the first murder took place and its connection to the present day murder. It is very cleverly done and is beautifully executed.
I also have to say that although it is not related to me in anyway, I did get a kick out of one of the minor characters being named Marnie, which is also my name and not one that you see used in books all that often. The icing on the cake was that this Marnie was from Australia too just like myself!
Everything about this book is on point. With it’s striking cover, an intriguing plot, a cast of characters that are real and come to life so vividly, the perfect setting in a picturesque seaside town, twists and turns aplenty, with just the right amount of tension and suspense to keep you engaged, makes this book such an enjoyable read. It was my absolute pleasure to read and review When the Dead Speak and I will be eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo and Sheila Buglar for allowing me to read an advanced copy of When the Dead Speak which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
September 7, 2020
Sheila Bugler has a real gift for summoning up powerful images and she does it here with a flamboyant murder – a dead young woman on a church altar surrounded by her own shorn hair.
This is the second outing for Bugler’s latest investigator, middle aged journalist Dee Doran and it certainly lives up to the (very high) expectations I had after reading the first in the series – I Could Be You. Dee lives in a remote beachside area of Eastbourne and in the previous book had become something of recluse since her divorce.
When the Dead Speak finds Dee in a much happier place. Her relationship with police inspector Ed Mitchell has been developing nicely since we last met them. But it is threatened when the murder case comes uncomfortably close to Ed’s own family.
Extraordinary though the murder might be, what is even more extraordinary is that it almost exactly replicates one from the past. But that was some 60 years earlier so it’s impossible the perpetrator could be the same man. In any case his identity is known – and he’s dead.
An extra touch of spice is added to the story by the extracts from diary of the presumed killer’s mother. It will eventually provide vital clues to what really happened all those years ago and to the copycat killing.
Whilst Ed becomes obsessed with the past, Dee herself is looking into something very much of today: the disappearance of a young Polish woman nobody but Dee and the girl’s friend seem concerned about. When the two investigations clash, conflict is inevitable not only between Dee and Ed, but with Dee’s own cousin and close friend, Louise. And soon it’s not only conflict that threatens, but mortal danger.
When the Dead Speak is a rich brew of complex relationships, a fascinating plot, the perfect atmospheric setting and plenty of tension and excitement. The full works in other words!
This is the second outing for Bugler’s latest investigator, middle aged journalist Dee Doran and it certainly lives up to the (very high) expectations I had after reading the first in the series – I Could Be You. Dee lives in a remote beachside area of Eastbourne and in the previous book had become something of recluse since her divorce.
When the Dead Speak finds Dee in a much happier place. Her relationship with police inspector Ed Mitchell has been developing nicely since we last met them. But it is threatened when the murder case comes uncomfortably close to Ed’s own family.
Extraordinary though the murder might be, what is even more extraordinary is that it almost exactly replicates one from the past. But that was some 60 years earlier so it’s impossible the perpetrator could be the same man. In any case his identity is known – and he’s dead.
An extra touch of spice is added to the story by the extracts from diary of the presumed killer’s mother. It will eventually provide vital clues to what really happened all those years ago and to the copycat killing.
Whilst Ed becomes obsessed with the past, Dee herself is looking into something very much of today: the disappearance of a young Polish woman nobody but Dee and the girl’s friend seem concerned about. When the two investigations clash, conflict is inevitable not only between Dee and Ed, but with Dee’s own cousin and close friend, Louise. And soon it’s not only conflict that threatens, but mortal danger.
When the Dead Speak is a rich brew of complex relationships, a fascinating plot, the perfect atmospheric setting and plenty of tension and excitement. The full works in other words!
September 6, 2025
I didn’t realise that this was a second book in a series and because of that I was quite confused at the beginning because the main characters, their past etc wasn’t really explained. That’s my fault, but may be something to know if you do want to pick this book up .
I found this one a really slow burn for me. There are a lot of characters and with two investigations running side-by-side, it sounds like it would be really full on but actually I found it quite slow. I also thought it was a little repetitive particularly with Dee and Ed’s relationship. Towards the second half of the book I definitely started to get more into the storyline and started to connect some of the dots but it wasn’t action packed or dramatic which I tend to like with thrillers. That’s not to say that not much happened because it did just not in a particularly gripping or fast moving way. Whilst I liked the ending, it did feel a little rushed and I was a bit disappointed in the epilogue. However, I am pleased that we found out everything and all of the loose ends were tied up.
This is the second book by Sheila Bugler that I have read and I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Black Valley Farm. Perhaps it was because this was one of a series so I didn’t feel like I knew the characters that well or it was the lack of pace, I’m not sure I just didn’t feel that gripped and at times it was hard to motivate myself to read the book. It hasn’t put me off reading other books by the author though but perhaps I will choose ones that aren’t in a series. On a sidenote I wish they would have something on the back of books so that you knew they were part of a series because when I’m browsing through the charity shop I don’t always have time to fully research each book to find out.
I found this one a really slow burn for me. There are a lot of characters and with two investigations running side-by-side, it sounds like it would be really full on but actually I found it quite slow. I also thought it was a little repetitive particularly with Dee and Ed’s relationship. Towards the second half of the book I definitely started to get more into the storyline and started to connect some of the dots but it wasn’t action packed or dramatic which I tend to like with thrillers. That’s not to say that not much happened because it did just not in a particularly gripping or fast moving way. Whilst I liked the ending, it did feel a little rushed and I was a bit disappointed in the epilogue. However, I am pleased that we found out everything and all of the loose ends were tied up.
This is the second book by Sheila Bugler that I have read and I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Black Valley Farm. Perhaps it was because this was one of a series so I didn’t feel like I knew the characters that well or it was the lack of pace, I’m not sure I just didn’t feel that gripped and at times it was hard to motivate myself to read the book. It hasn’t put me off reading other books by the author though but perhaps I will choose ones that aren’t in a series. On a sidenote I wish they would have something on the back of books so that you knew they were part of a series because when I’m browsing through the charity shop I don’t always have time to fully research each book to find out.
May 30, 2020
I loved the first book featuring investigative journalist, Dee Doran, (I Could Be You), so started this second in the series with a little trepidation. Would it be as good as the first? I needn’t have worried. It wasn’t as good – it was better!
Set once again in Eastbourne, there is a complex plot and several subplots intertwining as the story unfolds. The characters are well crafted and their actions entirely credible –they could be my neighbours, family members or friends, they feel so real.
From the diary of Emma Reed (starting in 1960), we discover Emma's son, Graham, was suspected of killing Mary Palmer, leaving her body on the altar of the local church. His innocence or guilt was never proven as Graham himself was murdered. Emma’s diary follows her attempts to prove her son’s innocence and uncover the real murderer.
Cut to the present day and a young woman, Lauren Shaw, is found in the same church with her body displayed to replicate the earlier crime. Dee’s police boyfriend, Ed, asks to be taken off the enquiry due to family secrets connected to the first murder.
Dee and Ed’s relationship is one of the many tangled twists and turns in this riveting book. A missing Polish worker, Dee’s cousin’s strange behaviour and several minor threads which all impact on each other make for a fascinating read.
This could easily be read as a standalone but I strongly recommend reading I Could Be You first – if only for the sheer joy of starting this excellent series from the beginning.
I received this via NetGalley from the publisher Canelo in return for an honest review.
Set once again in Eastbourne, there is a complex plot and several subplots intertwining as the story unfolds. The characters are well crafted and their actions entirely credible –they could be my neighbours, family members or friends, they feel so real.
From the diary of Emma Reed (starting in 1960), we discover Emma's son, Graham, was suspected of killing Mary Palmer, leaving her body on the altar of the local church. His innocence or guilt was never proven as Graham himself was murdered. Emma’s diary follows her attempts to prove her son’s innocence and uncover the real murderer.
Cut to the present day and a young woman, Lauren Shaw, is found in the same church with her body displayed to replicate the earlier crime. Dee’s police boyfriend, Ed, asks to be taken off the enquiry due to family secrets connected to the first murder.
Dee and Ed’s relationship is one of the many tangled twists and turns in this riveting book. A missing Polish worker, Dee’s cousin’s strange behaviour and several minor threads which all impact on each other make for a fascinating read.
This could easily be read as a standalone but I strongly recommend reading I Could Be You first – if only for the sheer joy of starting this excellent series from the beginning.
I received this via NetGalley from the publisher Canelo in return for an honest review.
July 18, 2021
It’s a very gripping story all the way through, but the ending leaves you feeling dissatisfied. The multiple murders take place over many generations. The first one, Mary, takes place in the 1960’s; her body found on an altar in a church, her hands crossed on her chest and her throat slit and all her hair chopped off. The details of this murder are presented very early in the book. A young man—slow witted and/or mentally challenged—is accused of the murder and local bullies track him down and beat him to death. His mother, Emma, makes it her life’s goal to clear his name and various chapters detail her efforts in many diaries kept over the years. Dee is asked to use her investigative skills to find what happened to a young Polish woman who disappeared without a trace; and, at the same time, Dee is romantically involved with police inspector Ed, who is called to a church where he discovers the body of a young woman, Lauren, who has been murdered in the exact same manner and laid out in the same way as Mary, hair chopped off and hands folded too. The story takes the entire book and involves Dee, her cousin, Her cousin’s husband, and people descended from the early victim, Mary—sometimes too complicated to try to figure out and keep track of the multiple characters and remember who knows what. Not nearly as good as the first book in this series because too many subplots and too many characters. There is one twist but not a very good one.
June 28, 2020
Sixty years since a murdered woman was found in a church; now there's another one lain out in a similar position, add to this the disappearance of a young eastern European girl and there are the makings of a complex set of threads. Are they related or are they not. The main protagonists are Ed, police detective but not allowed to work on the case because of conflict of interest (not that that stops him) and girlfriend Dee, an investigative journalist. Add to that their rather complicated and deteriorating relationship. She takes up the case of the missing girl as the police are of the opinion that she's gone off to a better job, with a bloke or something else. Dee doesn't. Everyone is chasing a missing letter, which is a diary in fact, and there are plenty of red herrings or vaguely related sub-plots to keep you trying to figure out the various characters, past and present and how they are related or not. Well written though and enjoyable enough..Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
February 26, 2023
Complex. Stories with a lot of genealogy drive me nuts tho. I can’t keep track without writing it down. And given that this was digital, I couldn’t just jot it down on paper & tuck it inside the book to keep referring to. So I tried to write it in the Notes app on my phone (where I was also reading the book); not exactly made for the way you write genealogies, but it helped. Besides too much genealogy, I also marked it down 1/2 star for the errors! Not JUST little typos like an extra or a missing word, but errors like attributing dialog to the wrong person & misidentifying 2 people’s relationship (like the genealogy was too much even for the author!). That’s just sloppy!
I must say, people sure get knocked in the head a lot in her stories! Their local hospital better have a concussion unit!
I must say, people sure get knocked in the head a lot in her stories! Their local hospital better have a concussion unit!
August 12, 2021
This is the first but definitely not the last book I read by this author. I did enjoy the diary written by Emily in the 1960's although when I used to go to a pub at Mile End with my friends in the mid 60's I don't ever remember seeing more that the occasional immigrant. So I guess there was a convention when Emily visited David. But I am being really picky. It is a great story, and I can't wait to read the next. Dee is the main character but I must admit I didn't really like her. She seems to be a rather cold character, I just hope she learns to get some compassion and I hope I see Ed in the next book OK the negatives out of the way, I loved this book and found it hard to put down. It kept me guessing right to the end and I would strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a who-dun-it.
June 22, 2020
A gripping whodunit. Set in Eastbourne Dee Doran an investigative journalist is asked to look into the disappearance of a Polish girl who has gone missing. Dee finds her investigation overlapping two other identical murders that happened sixty years apart. As Dee digs deeper into the murders of Lauren Shaw and Mary Palmer she discovers that her boyfriend Ed, who is a policeman is a family member and has secrets he has kept from Dee. Many characters and I did find it hard working out who was who. The story telling is good with lots of twists and turns. This is Sheila Bugler second novel featuring Dee Doran and can be read stand alone.
July 7, 2020
3.5 really.
I'm all for twists and turns and sometimes a slow burn is great but this had so much going on it felt a little disjointed. I didn't realise this was a second book in a series, so the main character's relationship (Dee and Ed) and the deterioration of it felt strange and out of place to me. I didn't guess who the killer was but in the end I didn't really care because there was so much bouncing about it sent me in too many different directions to be thoroughly invested. Shame really, cause I thought I'd like this one.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm all for twists and turns and sometimes a slow burn is great but this had so much going on it felt a little disjointed. I didn't realise this was a second book in a series, so the main character's relationship (Dee and Ed) and the deterioration of it felt strange and out of place to me. I didn't guess who the killer was but in the end I didn't really care because there was so much bouncing about it sent me in too many different directions to be thoroughly invested. Shame really, cause I thought I'd like this one.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2022
I picked up this book without realising it was the second book of a series, however, it was easy to follow and work out the basics of the previous novel without having read it. Overall, it felt like a classic crime novel, it was enjoyable and a quick and easy read. The constant back and forth between the protagonist and the love interest was a little frustrating and repetitive. I enjoyed the diary entries and thought they gave the reader an interesting perspective whilst keeping the reader guessing. I liked the ending and thought clues towards it was woven well throughout the book without giving the whole thing away, although the climax felt rushed and short.
July 30, 2025
When a body is discovered on the altar of a church Ed Mitchell has to step away from the case as it is eerily similar to the crime his uncle was accused of sixty years before. His girlfriend Dee Doran is looking for a missing person and believes that the current murder may be connected to her own case rather than the old murder. They both keep secrets from each other and the relationship suffers, as does Ed constantly cropping up in places he shouldn't be in search of answers and his police partner is not impressed. While not as fast paced as some at least it is not predictable
November 20, 2020
When the Dead Speak is book 2 in the Dee Doran series. Dee is an Investigative Reporter. I really liked book 1, I Could Be You, and enjoyed When the Dead Speak just as much, if not more. We learn more about Dee and I like the way she interacts with the other characters. The story is great and the ending surprised me. Not what I was expecting. Would definitely recommend this - a great read.
November 30, 2020
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
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