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DS Rick Turner #1
Dead Man Walking
His team is compromised
As dusk falls the night before the trial of notorious crime boss Thomas Unwin, the prosecution’s star witness is brutally murdered, his killer escaping in plain sight from a secure hotel.
His girlfriend is in danger
Detective Rick Turner spent months building the case against Unwin, and he’s not willing to give up now. But Unwin has one final trick up his sleeve to turn the trial in his he has Rick’s girlfriend, Jess, kidnapped in a plan to coerce Rick into throwing his own testimony.
The biggest case of his life hangs in the balance
Faced with a stark choice, Rick must find Jess or give false testimony which would cost him his career and let Unwin walk free. But with the net closing in Rick must soon face a terrifying the killer is closer to him than he ever expected, and as the case turns personal there is no one he can trust, not even his closest colleagues…
Perfect for fans of Gytha Lodge, Michael Wood and Matt Brolly
As dusk falls the night before the trial of notorious crime boss Thomas Unwin, the prosecution’s star witness is brutally murdered, his killer escaping in plain sight from a secure hotel.
His girlfriend is in danger
Detective Rick Turner spent months building the case against Unwin, and he’s not willing to give up now. But Unwin has one final trick up his sleeve to turn the trial in his he has Rick’s girlfriend, Jess, kidnapped in a plan to coerce Rick into throwing his own testimony.
The biggest case of his life hangs in the balance
Faced with a stark choice, Rick must find Jess or give false testimony which would cost him his career and let Unwin walk free. But with the net closing in Rick must soon face a terrifying the killer is closer to him than he ever expected, and as the case turns personal there is no one he can trust, not even his closest colleagues…
Perfect for fans of Gytha Lodge, Michael Wood and Matt Brolly
- GenresAudiobook
352 pages, Paperback
Published September 14, 2023
27 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 14, 2023
Dead Man Walking is the first instalment in the Detective Sergeant Rick Turner series, a police procedural set amongst the shadows and wheeling and dealing of old London town. Working in and around the criminal underworld, Rick has been called to give evidence at the trial of Thomas Unwin, a businessman that The National Crime Agency had been chasing for years to no avail for everything from drug smuggling to human trafficking. Now, it is Rick Turner who had discovered a connection between two deaths - murders for hire - set in motion at Unwin's behest. Not long after in a palatial London hotel, a man dressed in a black trilby and cashmere coat enters the room belonging to a Mister King and swiftly executes him using two shots before leaving barely 90 seconds later.
The hit is relayed back to Turner almost immediately as now it seems as though his key witness Austin King has been taken out with the sole intention of safeguarding Unwin and his dangerous legacy. It isn't long before things become a whole lot deadlier and more personal for Rick Turner himself including the kidnap of his girlfriend. This is a rip-roaring thriller brimming with excitement and action from the get-go, and I was surprised by just how rapidly we were launched in amongst the high-stakes drama and premature celebratory mood of the police force and detectives who had been wanting to collar Unwin for decades in the making. It packs a real punch, and I raced through it in a single sitting feasting on the twists and turns and gasp-worthy moments of shock and awe. Packed with secrets, subversion, tension, crosses and double crosses and a cast of some of both the most tenacious and the most evil characters, Murphy has once again hit the mark square in the middle. Our protagonist DS Turner is athletic — a runner and skilled aikido street-fighter.
With a highly developed sense of responsibility and duty, he’s an introvert whose main focus is his work. It’s no accident that he went into the hierarchical, rule-bound profession of policing: he believes in following the rules — some would say slavishly — which pisses off his bosses and his peers about the same. But Rick grew up tough in a nasty tenement on an East London estate where he was subjected to lawlessness and extreme peril every day, and the rules help him to make sense of the world — they provide his moral anchor. His hard-won insights into criminality, plus sharp instincts and intense curiosity have made him the brilliant cop he is today. And he is relentless in the pursuit of justice.
The hit is relayed back to Turner almost immediately as now it seems as though his key witness Austin King has been taken out with the sole intention of safeguarding Unwin and his dangerous legacy. It isn't long before things become a whole lot deadlier and more personal for Rick Turner himself including the kidnap of his girlfriend. This is a rip-roaring thriller brimming with excitement and action from the get-go, and I was surprised by just how rapidly we were launched in amongst the high-stakes drama and premature celebratory mood of the police force and detectives who had been wanting to collar Unwin for decades in the making. It packs a real punch, and I raced through it in a single sitting feasting on the twists and turns and gasp-worthy moments of shock and awe. Packed with secrets, subversion, tension, crosses and double crosses and a cast of some of both the most tenacious and the most evil characters, Murphy has once again hit the mark square in the middle. Our protagonist DS Turner is athletic — a runner and skilled aikido street-fighter.
With a highly developed sense of responsibility and duty, he’s an introvert whose main focus is his work. It’s no accident that he went into the hierarchical, rule-bound profession of policing: he believes in following the rules — some would say slavishly — which pisses off his bosses and his peers about the same. But Rick grew up tough in a nasty tenement on an East London estate where he was subjected to lawlessness and extreme peril every day, and the rules help him to make sense of the world — they provide his moral anchor. His hard-won insights into criminality, plus sharp instincts and intense curiosity have made him the brilliant cop he is today. And he is relentless in the pursuit of justice.
March 10, 2024
Great detective, murder mystery, just the remedy for a wet weekend. Two brothers Rick a detective, Sam a criminal, a very successful hitman. Sam had disappeared for many years leaving Rick to care for his ageing mother after their father had died. Rick carried with him the memory of a terrible incident that occurred when they were young, blaming Sam. Jessica, the love of Rick's life betrays him and Sam with his money and team help Rick who struggles with the belief that Jessica had been kidnapped only for the truth to be revealed towards the end.
September 26, 2024
Dead Man Walking by M.K. Murphy and narrated by Ethan Kelly is a powerful beginning to a series and I already have the next book, 'Blood Debt' on my TBR
Ethan Kelly puts in a dynamic performance and conveys the narrative well, especially the dichotomy between the brothers, Sam and Rick
Rick is about to testify as a witness in a major trial when his girlfriend is kidnapped in order to blackmail him into not submitting his testimony. Will he give a fake testimony to save his girlfriend or will he find her first?
A fast-paced thriller which ticks each and every box. A fantastic series starter and I am looking forward to seeing where Murphy taes us next
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK Audio | HQ Digital, MK Murphy and Ethan Kelly for this ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
Ethan Kelly puts in a dynamic performance and conveys the narrative well, especially the dichotomy between the brothers, Sam and Rick
Rick is about to testify as a witness in a major trial when his girlfriend is kidnapped in order to blackmail him into not submitting his testimony. Will he give a fake testimony to save his girlfriend or will he find her first?
A fast-paced thriller which ticks each and every box. A fantastic series starter and I am looking forward to seeing where Murphy taes us next
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK Audio | HQ Digital, MK Murphy and Ethan Kelly for this ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
October 21, 2023
Whether Murphy is writing as Murphy or Dyer (Splinter in the Blood is particularly gripping), you always get a smart, layered, complex thriller that keeps you glued. Here is no different. Dead Man Walking is Murphy’s intelligent version of a London detective procedural. Here we explore, is vividness (you see it) the seedy underworld DS Turner seeks to undercover and prosecute. The dialogue is crackling, the backstories colorful and deep, and the twists absorbing and surprising. It’s no wonder film/tv already optioned this book and series. I cannot wait to see it on the screen! Don’t miss out on Murphy/Dyer’s writing. She is one of my faves and deserves more accolades and options and all of it.
September 23, 2023
Whether writing as AD Garrett or Ashley Dyer, whether using the name Margaret Murphy or the new initialised version, this writer is always entertaining and her novels never fail to engross the reader. This feels like something of a change in her writing style, although the set-up is familiar in crime fiction. The lead character is a cop with somewhat dubious moral values, and whose brother, a criminal, he hasn't seen for ages. All is not as it at first seems, and situations are set up to deceive. The underworld of smuggling and drugs and gangs is very well researched and convincing and Dead Man Walking is a very enjoyable read.
September 12, 2023
3.5 stars
This is a good crime thriller but a bit of a slow burner.
Rick is due to give evidence at a high profile court case and is shocked to hear the key witness has been murdered in his hotel room just before it’s due to begin.
His girlfriend is then kidnapped and Rick is threatened to lie in court.
Just when he needs help, someone from his past comes to help, but Rick can’t work out how he’s getting all the information.
There’s a few twists and turns which I enjoyed and overall this is a good read.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
This is a good crime thriller but a bit of a slow burner.
Rick is due to give evidence at a high profile court case and is shocked to hear the key witness has been murdered in his hotel room just before it’s due to begin.
His girlfriend is then kidnapped and Rick is threatened to lie in court.
Just when he needs help, someone from his past comes to help, but Rick can’t work out how he’s getting all the information.
There’s a few twists and turns which I enjoyed and overall this is a good read.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
February 12, 2024
Having read a number of glowing reviews for this book, it must be just me that thought it was an average paint by numbers thriller with sledgehammer subtlety. Well written but nothing new, Dead Man Walking was a bit Dead Man Reading. Quite nice but wasn't gripped nor hooked by it
September 3, 2024
This is the first in a new London based crime series by MK Murphy, featuring DS Rick Turner, a man who hasn't seen his brother, Sam, since a harrowing incident when he was a teen, an event that has Turner haunting every crime scene he can access, afraid that he will come across the body of a dead Sam. I listened to this on audio, approximately 10 hours and 20 minutes long, ably narrated by Ethan Kelly, keeping me gripped with a dark narrative, packed with intrigue, complex characters, plenty of drama, and where little is as it first appears. Strangely enough, it is Sam's voice Rick hears in his head through the scenes and people he encounters, offering advice and other perspectives.
As police celebrate the upcoming trial of notorious crime boss, Thomas Unwin, a feat achieved when Turner managed to tie 2 deaths as murder, there is a shock awaiting them. A key witness, Austin King, has been murdered in a hotel by a hitman who got away. Matters become substantially worse with a determined Unwin keen to ensure he leaves prison as soon as possible, he has Rick's beloved actress girlfriend, Jess, kidnapped, to ensure that Rick's trial testimony will not implicate him. If this happens, Rick knows his police career will be over, but he finds help from his principled ninja forensic accountant friend, Dave, and from a surprising source as a now changed well dressed, suave, cultured, and erudite Sam comes back into his life, offering help in locating and freeing Jess.
However, can Sam and others in Rick's life, professional and personal, be trusted? There are dangers, betrayals, secrets. the unexpected, twists and turns galore, and the most fasccinating and complicated of sibling relationships between Sam and Rick that is central to Murphy's well plotted novel. This is a compelling crime read that I am certain will do well on publication, I recommend both the book and the audio. I look forward with great anticipation to the next in the series. Many thanks to HarperCollins Audio for an ALC.
As police celebrate the upcoming trial of notorious crime boss, Thomas Unwin, a feat achieved when Turner managed to tie 2 deaths as murder, there is a shock awaiting them. A key witness, Austin King, has been murdered in a hotel by a hitman who got away. Matters become substantially worse with a determined Unwin keen to ensure he leaves prison as soon as possible, he has Rick's beloved actress girlfriend, Jess, kidnapped, to ensure that Rick's trial testimony will not implicate him. If this happens, Rick knows his police career will be over, but he finds help from his principled ninja forensic accountant friend, Dave, and from a surprising source as a now changed well dressed, suave, cultured, and erudite Sam comes back into his life, offering help in locating and freeing Jess.
However, can Sam and others in Rick's life, professional and personal, be trusted? There are dangers, betrayals, secrets. the unexpected, twists and turns galore, and the most fasccinating and complicated of sibling relationships between Sam and Rick that is central to Murphy's well plotted novel. This is a compelling crime read that I am certain will do well on publication, I recommend both the book and the audio. I look forward with great anticipation to the next in the series. Many thanks to HarperCollins Audio for an ALC.
July 20, 2023
A thriller which explores the criminal underground in London from different viewpoints .Rick is a detective involved in the trial of a crime boss when one of the witnesses is found murdered in a hotel room. There are other witnesses that can be called to the stand but there are complications. Slow to get going, the pace picks up when Rick meets up with someone from his past.
The plot is quite convoluted with unexpected turns which definitely kept my interest . The main characters were well portrayed though I wasn't sure about a couple of charcters (Jess and Rick's superiors) but that leaves plenty of room for further episodes. I`m also not so sure about Rick's relentless investigation without much sleep and the timescale took some concentration to sort out . All in all a great read though and I look forward to discovering more from this author.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
The plot is quite convoluted with unexpected turns which definitely kept my interest . The main characters were well portrayed though I wasn't sure about a couple of charcters (Jess and Rick's superiors) but that leaves plenty of room for further episodes. I`m also not so sure about Rick's relentless investigation without much sleep and the timescale took some concentration to sort out . All in all a great read though and I look forward to discovering more from this author.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
September 19, 2023
This is a complex police procedural-style thriller. DC Rick Turner has found the evidence to bring down an organised crime boss who awaits trial. A key hostile witness is killed, and the prosecution's success is threatened. Finding himself a target, the threat level rises and becomes personal for the detective. A detailed and complex plot and backstory slows the pace slightly, but it's necessary to get to know the characters and their relationship dynamics and how Rick's past affects his life in the present. It's a suspenseful and gritty urban set story that is contemporarily relevant. I like the detective protagonist, the investigation team dynamic and the twisty plot. It uses sensory imagery well, making the characters, events and setting easy to visualise.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
May 12, 2024
‘Dead Man Walking’ by M.K. Murphy centres around a police detective Rick Turner who is going through the biggest career moment of his life. Rick Turner has managed to bring a trial against a notorious crime boss called Thomas Unwin. Rick Turner’s life starts unraveling when his girlfriend is kidnapped due to the trial. Who can Rick trust and who is against him.
I got this book in a mystery book box and I wasn’t sure how this book would be as I don’t always read crime thrillers. However this book kept me hooked. M.K. Murphy writes really well and there is a lot of suspense in the book. The book does go backwards and forwards in time a lot and that I find can sometimes be confusing however I didn’t find this was the case with this book. There are some really great twists in this book and the characters are really easy to get into. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
I got this book in a mystery book box and I wasn’t sure how this book would be as I don’t always read crime thrillers. However this book kept me hooked. M.K. Murphy writes really well and there is a lot of suspense in the book. The book does go backwards and forwards in time a lot and that I find can sometimes be confusing however I didn’t find this was the case with this book. There are some really great twists in this book and the characters are really easy to get into. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
September 14, 2023
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my approval to read and review. The plot revolves around a court case of a major underworld criminal and the extent he goes to so he is freed of all criminal charges. DS Rick Turner is the detective that brought him down. Rick is sent a message to say his girlfriend has been kidnapped and he must follow their instructions if he wants to see her alive. The story is full of plot twists and turns and the ending really surprised me. I couldn't put the book down. The dynamic of all the characters in particular, Dave, Rick and Sam was so real! I really hope that there is a second book.
September 14, 2023
I can’t pretend to know everything that was going on in this book – Who’s he again? Is he a goodie or a baddie? Who’s he working for? – but I couldn’t put it down! The twists and turns, the intrigue, the back and forth and veering off in so many directions had me gripped. I was very disappointed in the actions of some of the characters, one in particular, but I loved Sam and hope there’s a sequel with him and his brother in it. This was a well written, exciting, and all round fabulous book with a great ending. How on earth do authors think up all this stuff??? Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read.
May 23, 2024
Great start to the series
When you are the one to take down a ruthless crime boss, expect a ruthless response. Detective Rick Turner linked unlikely dots to connect East End gangster Thomas Unwin with two contract killings. Just days before the trial starts, Unwin makes his deadly moves.
Turner is soon jumping at shadows as his trust in his peers and leaders in the police and justice ststem is shown to be undeserved and Unwin’s henchmen carry out their bosses threats. He also has his own secrets, and soon even his commitment to police rules is tested.
Turner is likeable and believable. Eveyone plays their part well and the story moves along at a good pace. Very enjoyable.
When you are the one to take down a ruthless crime boss, expect a ruthless response. Detective Rick Turner linked unlikely dots to connect East End gangster Thomas Unwin with two contract killings. Just days before the trial starts, Unwin makes his deadly moves.
Turner is soon jumping at shadows as his trust in his peers and leaders in the police and justice ststem is shown to be undeserved and Unwin’s henchmen carry out their bosses threats. He also has his own secrets, and soon even his commitment to police rules is tested.
Turner is likeable and believable. Eveyone plays their part well and the story moves along at a good pace. Very enjoyable.
September 8, 2024
Thank you Netgalley for my copy.
I'll have to make a confession. I get very excited and request lots of books that look remotely like my type of thing. Most of the time this pays off, this time it unfortunately didn't.
This book was written well but I found it boring. I found Rick so bland and faceless, I just couldn't be bothered to listen to him anymore and that was less than a quarter of the way through the book.
I do however like the relationship between Rick and Sam. It was portrayed well and I really understood what it was that made it so special. That's where my 2 stars come from.
Happy to try something else by Murphy though.
I'll have to make a confession. I get very excited and request lots of books that look remotely like my type of thing. Most of the time this pays off, this time it unfortunately didn't.
This book was written well but I found it boring. I found Rick so bland and faceless, I just couldn't be bothered to listen to him anymore and that was less than a quarter of the way through the book.
I do however like the relationship between Rick and Sam. It was portrayed well and I really understood what it was that made it so special. That's where my 2 stars come from.
Happy to try something else by Murphy though.
October 10, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for my copy of Dead Man Walking by M K Murphy.
How have I missed this author.
This is a book that draws you in and keeps you there.
Sergeant Rick Turner is on the eve of the biggest case of his life.
A complex case that has taken months to bring to trial, money laundering, smuggling, murder.
Then the prosecutions main witness is murdered. Everything is going wrong and Rick doesn’t know who he can trust.
There were so many twists and surprises. Loved the book and the characters.
Will be catching up on this author back catalogue.
How have I missed this author.
This is a book that draws you in and keeps you there.
Sergeant Rick Turner is on the eve of the biggest case of his life.
A complex case that has taken months to bring to trial, money laundering, smuggling, murder.
Then the prosecutions main witness is murdered. Everything is going wrong and Rick doesn’t know who he can trust.
There were so many twists and surprises. Loved the book and the characters.
Will be catching up on this author back catalogue.
September 11, 2024
What a start to a new series. Detective Rick Turners star witness has been murdered in his case against Thomas Unwin. Will Rick succeed in getting the conviction as this also gets personal. Well drawn characters and well paced. With plenty of twists. Highly recommend. Ethan Kelly narration of this book is first class hope he gets to narrate more of these books as they come out. Thanks to HarperCollins UK audio and Netgalley for this review copy
September 16, 2023
This is the first in a new series, there's a lot of potential but it's a bit too slow burning and you have to patient.
When it gets to the point is a gripping and gritty novel that kept turning pages.
I will surely read the next as I'm sure it will fast paced and action packed
3.5 upped to 4
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
When it gets to the point is a gripping and gritty novel that kept turning pages.
I will surely read the next as I'm sure it will fast paced and action packed
3.5 upped to 4
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
September 28, 2024
This was a deliciously dark listen with lots of twists and turns. It started of slow and I wasnt sure about it but it worked up and got really good. I am really looking forward to the next installment in the series.
I was impressed with the narration - it really suited the style and content of the book.
I was impressed with the narration - it really suited the style and content of the book.
August 29, 2023
A great read although it took a while to get going and a longer while for me to get all the plot intersections straight in my head!
Well worth a read but be sure to have time to dedicate to read a big first chunk!
Well worth a read but be sure to have time to dedicate to read a big first chunk!
November 23, 2023
A nice brotherly twist to a solid police procedural
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2024
3.5. Would read additional books if this was a series. Good vacation read for fans of the genre.
March 7, 2024
A great thriller that had me guessing until the end, I could see this as a great TV series.
April 14, 2024
Brilliant book, loads of twists and turns. Will definitely be looking out for more from this author!
June 15, 2024
Enjoyable fast-paced thriller.
May 12, 2025
5 chapters too long but lays a foundation (book 1).
October 30, 2023
4.5⭐️
The biggest case of DC Rick Turner’s life has taken a very drastic turn when he finds himself targeted by the organised crime boss that he was sure he could put away. Complex and suspenseful, I wasn’t sure where this story would/could end but I found out that some bonds can never be broken…
The biggest case of DC Rick Turner’s life has taken a very drastic turn when he finds himself targeted by the organised crime boss that he was sure he could put away. Complex and suspenseful, I wasn’t sure where this story would/could end but I found out that some bonds can never be broken…
October 12, 2024
I genrally enjoy psychological thrillers and was really looking forward to a new series, but I think possibly the detective type way of writing maybe isn't for me.
This story does have a good backbone and twists. However, I found myself being a little lost at times with Rick, Sam, and Jess and keeping up with all that was going on. It took me longer than usual to finish this audiobook than it usually would as i found myself rewinding to try and follow the plot better. I can't quite put my finger on whether this was purely bad timing of listening to the audio on my part, the narration or the story itself just didn't grip me enough. I feel it is most likely a mixture of all three.
The narration was for the most part good but for this type of book for me there was enough change in pitch, tone etc I actually found this narrators voice a little too soothing I found myself zoning out at times may be better placed in a different genre something more where the listener is trying to relax deeply.
I appreciate the opportunity to listen to this ARC in return for an open and honest review. With much gratitude to Harper Collins UK Audio/HD Digital & Netgalley.
This story does have a good backbone and twists. However, I found myself being a little lost at times with Rick, Sam, and Jess and keeping up with all that was going on. It took me longer than usual to finish this audiobook than it usually would as i found myself rewinding to try and follow the plot better. I can't quite put my finger on whether this was purely bad timing of listening to the audio on my part, the narration or the story itself just didn't grip me enough. I feel it is most likely a mixture of all three.
The narration was for the most part good but for this type of book for me there was enough change in pitch, tone etc I actually found this narrators voice a little too soothing I found myself zoning out at times may be better placed in a different genre something more where the listener is trying to relax deeply.
I appreciate the opportunity to listen to this ARC in return for an open and honest review. With much gratitude to Harper Collins UK Audio/HD Digital & Netgalley.
October 13, 2024
This is the first in a new series starring Detective Rick Turner and I, for one, became totally immersed and engrossed in the story.
I admit to initially thinking that this wasn't going to be the book for me as it took me a while to get into it but once I did, I couldn't stop listening so desperate was I to find out how it all worked out and I wasn't disappointed.
With great characters, an intriguing plot, some great twists and excellent narration, this is a really good start to a new series and one which I am looking forward to reading/listening to more of in the future.
Many thanks to the author, HarperCollins UK Audio, HQ Digital and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of this great start to a new series.
I admit to initially thinking that this wasn't going to be the book for me as it took me a while to get into it but once I did, I couldn't stop listening so desperate was I to find out how it all worked out and I wasn't disappointed.
With great characters, an intriguing plot, some great twists and excellent narration, this is a really good start to a new series and one which I am looking forward to reading/listening to more of in the future.
Many thanks to the author, HarperCollins UK Audio, HQ Digital and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of this great start to a new series.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews