Devil's Chimney: Detective Rutherford Barnes Mysteries, Book 1

Detective Rutherford Barnes Mysteries #1

by Adam Lyndon

MEET DETECTIVE RUTHERFORD BARNES IN THIS BRILLIANT NEW CRIME SERIES FROM A SERVING POLICE OFFICER.

Discover an absolutely gripping crime thriller with a massive twist.

On a wild and stormy night on England’s south coast, ambitious young police constables Rutherford Barnes and Harriet Holden are doing the rounds when they see a burglar fleeing the scene of the crime.

And the location is Harriet’s house. The ground floor is ransacked. Scrawled in red across one wall are the DEAD COPS SLEEP LONG.

Then a few days later, Harriet’s battered body is discovered in a shabby seafront hotel.

Newly promoted to detective, Barnes vows to discover who killed his partner, and why.

Perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, Helen H. Durrant, Bill Kitson, Michael Hambling, Peter James, Angela Marsons, Rachel McLean, J.D. Kirk, Rachel Abbott, Elly Griffiths, J.M. Dalgliesh or Patricia Gibney.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Audiobook, Procedural, Thriller, Suspense

Audible Audio

First published June 23, 2022

About the author

Adam was born and raised in Sussex. He has been a police officer for twenty years both in the UK and in New Zealand, working across a range of disciplines including uniformed ops, firearms command and as a detective in CID and specialist investigations.

He went around the world a couple of times, living in New Zealand for a year before realising home was where all the stories were. Adam writes gritty, Eastbourne-based police-procedurals with hard-edged authenticity, forming a daisy chain along the south coast alongside the likes of Graham Hurley and Peter James. He has been married for twenty years and has four children. His ambition, as his children keep reminding him, is to own a dog.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up
DC Rutherford Barnes #1

Barnes and PC Harriet Holder are on night patrol when Barnes see a a burglar fleeing a scene. To their shock the ransacked house belongs to Holder and one wall has a dire warning emblazoned across it - Dead Cops Sleep Long. Shortly after this Holder goes missing and is later found dead in a rundown former hotel now housing ex-cons amongst others. This is the start of an investigation that takes Barnes down a deep dark hole and which becomes very personal.

The novel starts quite slowly and takes a while to get into. The second half is pacy and builds in tension, pressure and excitement. There’s possibly a bit too much going on, it’s maybe a tad over egged, it’s a little convoluted but there’s never a dull moment that’s for sure.

The characterisation is good, Barnes is likeable, he’s maybe a bit naive but he has good intentions. The police team are varied and interesting.

I love the setting in and around Eastbourne including Lewes and Beach Head and all the locations are used effectively.

Overall an entertaining read - now onto number 2!

A Kindle Unlimited read.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in 2012, this revised Devil's Chimney by Adam Lyndon is a classic English police series. Detective Rutherford Barnes is a young police constable destined for high office as he and his partner Harriet Holden are on night duty in search of a serial burglar. Upon apprehending the culprit in the act, charges are not sustained and things begin to go awry. Then a colleague is killed and another missing, as the case gets more complicated and the possibility of collusion is discovered. Barnes is wary, finding himself in more trouble and complications as he tries to solve the murder. A quality police procedural with great characters, intricate case investigation and suspenseful tension, making for a four-star rating. With thanks to Joffe Books and the author, for an uncorrected advanced reader copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rutherford Barnes, #1

On a wild stormy night on England's south coast, ambitious young police constables Rutherford Barnes and Harriet Holden are doing the rounds when they see a burglar fleeing the scene of a crime. and it's Harriet's house. The ground floor is ransacked. Scrawled in red across one wall are the words DEAD COPS SLEEP LONG. Then a few days later, Harriet's battered body is discovered in a shabby seafront hotel. Newly promoted to Detective, Barnes vows to discover who killed his partner and why.

Set in the early 2000s. Detective Rutherford Barnes vows to find who was responsible for his former partner, Harriet Holden, murder. It took a few chapters for me to get into the book and the second half was much better than the first. The characters were quite likeable except for Barnes wife, Eve, who started getting on my nerves. I also felt the story dragged out in places. The plotline is interesting. I did not know what Harriet had done to get herself killed. I also liked that the police didn't rely so much on modern technology back then.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #AdamLyndon for my ARC of #DevilsChimney in exchange for an honest review.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I'm not sure how to describe this book without sounding like I really dislike male authors. I don't! But this book was so very "male author" it left me feeling mostly bored and hollow inside.
The writing never once touch my emotions and to be honest, I felt like the female characters were really bland.

Everything rides on the main character - but I can't decide if I even like him or not.
The books has a plot that is pretty nicely constructed, but that fails to excite or thrill me even once.

The character gallery feels mostly flat. All characters are somehow very simple. They hold no inner worlds or dimensions to explore. They mainly just "are" and the main character skates around them or interacts with them without leaving any sort of emotional involvement behind.

The whole thing with Barnes' and his wife's troubles to conceive a baby bored me to death. The wife crying about being lonely at home while simultaneously pushing her husband to climb the career ladder just made me want to roll my eyes out of their sockets.
For heaven's sake... He's a police detective. OF COURSE he's going to work all the time. Duuh!

The old trope of the wife never being aware of what she signed up for when marrying a police is so tired - and I've started to hate it. Like, omg, get a grip, woman! And if you're already struggling with your bills, maybe starting a family and having a baby isn't the smartest bloody idea ever!?

She's 38 and acting like someone a lot younger. The tension the author tries to create around Barnes being a much younger man somehow fails completely to move me.
The couple has more sex scenes together than they have intellectual conversations and I just don't see why they're even together, beyond the carnal side of things. I get told over and over that they love each other, but I don't feel it.

I ended up kind of rooting for the female prosecutor being able to lure Barnes away from his wife - and that's rather awful, yes.

The crime then... It was based on corruption - a personal not-favourite of mine.
I mean, judging by every British crime novel out there, most coppers high up on the ladder is clearly only sitting there because they are corrupt and has no conscience what so ever.
To me, this is starting to become a yawning trigger.
It's been done to death and I failed to scramble up any excitement for the whole thing, the closer to the ending I got.

I kept wondering why the book was named after the Devil's Chimney. It's mentioned in the book, but it doesn't actually serve any kind of purpose, more than being a sort of looming, metaphorical backdrop, implying impending doom.
Sure, the Big Bad behind everything end up falling down from a high place, both figuratively and literally, but... I totally fail to see why the book is named what it is.

All in all, my whole experience of this book was lukewarm at best.
I don't think I'll return to this series in the future.

[Sharah McConville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devil’s Chimney is #1 in the Detective Rutherford Barnes series and I’m glad to have discovered this book. Adam Lyndon is a new author to me however, this crime story had me hooked from the start, so I will be continuing with this series.

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

★★☆☆☆ (2.5)

When I found out this was written by a serving police officer, it made so much sense. This has an interesting concept; an up-and-coming police officer, Barnes, finds himself in the centre of a twisted organised crime ring that has already killed one of his colleagues.

However, this is so bogged down in the details it feels as though I'm reading the written report of the case - there is no suspense left when the reader is told in painstaking detail each stage of getting a warrant. The twist was predictable because the reader had already been made aware of the internal corruption (quite blatantly and without any drama in my opinion). Barnes is every police officer's dream - morally excellent, good at his job and squeaky clean (somewhat). But this just makes him unrealistic? He manages to nab a burglar and all of a sudden is running lead on a huge murder investigation of his partner, is yelling out orders to higher ups with no backlash.

This could have been a book version of Line of Duty but unfortunately for me, it lost all its suspense in the overloaded procedural detail.

cw// murder, suicide, organised crime, drug addiction, infertility

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with the digital edition of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

without sounding dramatic, i fucking hated his wife, i don’t know why but i just couldn’t warm to her at all and when she kept calling him ‘chief’ urgh

but apart from that i did enjoy the story, even when i felt it dragged on a bit and i’ll definitely give the 2nd book a go

[Gatorman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid police procedural about the hunt for the killer of a police officer found murdered in the apartment of a burglary suspect. Conspiracies abound as our intrepid hero Barnes tries to piece all the clues together. Starts out a bit slow and takes a while to kick in, but once it does it becomes an enjoyable tale. Could have been somewhat shorter but the ending is solid, and the characters are likable for the most part. The first in a series I will continue with. Nice addition to the genre. 3.5 stars.

[Hpnyknits · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great first of a series. 4.5 rounded down because Barnes seems to get in everything too quickly.
We understand later why that is, but it still not too believable.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this book it had a believable story and some good characters, I look forward to reading more by this author.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good new police procedural and a new to me author. I will surely read other books in this series and I appreciated the well developed characters and the solid mystery.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never heard of this author before, but the description of his new book, and the fact that he is a former CID detective, made me so intrigued I decided that I just had to read it. I am so pleased that I did because it’s one of the best detective novels I have read for a long time. Set in 2001, it starts with an extremely dramatic scenario of the collapse of Devil’s Chimney – a stack of rocks close to Beachy Head had crashed into the sea – a somewhat eerie start to a great book. The main character, Rutherford Barnes, is a probationary PC who, after single-handedly catching a burglar, suddenly finds himself in the midst of a murder investigation. As a result of being heralded the hero after arresting the criminal, he is given a very speedy, and welcome, promotion to DC in the local CID – something that never happens to probationary officers. There are plenty of twists and surprises in the book, which takes us deep into the underworld of drug dealing, murders and corruption. Throughout all this, Barnes has a private life too – a wife who he loves dearly, who is extremely supportive of his new rise in the ranks. They plan to have a family together, although this turns out to be somewhat stressful given everything else that he is involved with at the time. The story moves on at a reasonably fast pace, keeping the reader total involved, then suddenly it seems like the action moves up a gear and we are thrown head-long into terrifying scenes. I found myself reading with baited breath, crossing my fingers that everything would turn out all right in the end.

This was a brilliant debut novel, a great read and one that has made me want to learn more about Barnes, his family and his future career. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a tense and thrilling crime mystery, and I shall certainly be reading the next in the series.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the opening salvo, Rutherford Barnes' police partner is killed in a gruesome manner, and Barnes is invited to join the detective squad. This seemed odd, although the next week, he took the exam for detective and aced it. What does a low-level burglar have to do with the policewoman's murder? The plot soon thickens.

This is a complex story with segments about his wife, Eve, and their desire to have a baby. Barnes is also soon involved in corruption. Although the story is unlikely, it is fast-paced and entertaining.

[Kimberly Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out rather slowly and I didn't think I was going to read it. I have it a bit more and became caught up. I was able to figure out the antagonist(s). I must have missed something somewhere because, though it shouldn't have been, the ending was a bit of a surprise. Will read this author again.

[David Tutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in a series of detective stories based in Eastbourne. Adam Lyndon uses his knowledge of the town to name the streets and places where events are taking place and living in the town I can picture the scenes in my mind. I look forward to reading the second Rutherford Barnes book.

[Amolika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this eARC.

I thought this book is unique in that it heavily leans into its Britishness and most mystery thrillers I read are either American or neutral to me. The book definitely has an atmosphere of its own - set in 2001 and I'm not very familiar with that time period as I was born then, so I enjoyed that. Quite minor but I did not think the author needed to make a note that smartphones were different in 2001, I'd like to think that people know this but I digress. Especially because I highlighted about 10 or so words I hadn't heard of before, which is unusual for me so the vocabulary was very adult-oriented to me. I do think that the time period could have been integrated more clearly in the plot. However, I appreciate the note regarding Devil's Chimney and Belle Tout, so I question why the glossary was at the back of the book. I figured if it were at the front, the reader would be able to refer to it as they are reading along without spoiling themselves of other pages but I also understand how the glossary can be spoiler-y in nature. Anyway, after I finished this book, I was not surprised at all to find out that the author has been serving as a UK police officer for a long time. The voice is present in the writing and it does not detract from the writing surprisingly; I thought it would.

The plot is basically that our protagonist Barnes and his cop partner, Harriet apprehend a criminal fleeing from Harriet’s house. Shortly after, Harriet is found deceased and an investigation is underway. Barnes navigates his personal life and seeking justice for Harriet, but there’s more to it than what’s immediately obvious. This book does a good job of exploring relationships, work politics and attitudes between police colleagues, but I thought Eve (Barnes’ wife) was really annoying and irrational as her motivations did not make sense. However, I liked characters such as Hadrian and Emily. I think Barnes’ was likeable enough and really felt for him, which is a good thing.

I thought the first 10% was a bit boring so I took away a star, it took me a bit of time to get through but I pushed through and got really invested, peaking in the 50% mark until the end. I read this book in one sitting so that’s a good thing. I really appreciated that there was an epilogue because I am sick of books cheapening out with endings and that is a reason why anyone should care about this book. Furthermore, a standout is the police in action.

Lastly, I don’t think this was the most shocking or elaborate mystery ever so that is why it was not a 5 star for me, but it was an enjoyable read and it’s very in line for this subgenre of books (procedural detective fiction). Like many mystery and thriller books, I start off not understanding the title or cover, but figuring out afterwards is neat.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there’s one thing that I like doing, it’s discovering new authors. Adam Lyndon is certainly a new author for me. I read the synopsis for ‘Devil’s Chimney’ and it certainly sounded like the sort of crime story that I would thoroughly enjoy. I couldn’t wait to read it so without further ado, I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed my Kindle and settled down for what proved to be an interesting read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Devil’s Chimney’ but more about that in a bit.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into ‘Devil’s Chimney’. In fact the synopsis was enough to grab my attention and entice me into the book. As soon as I started reading the story, I knew that there was a fair chance that I wouldn’t be able to prise the book out of my hands. The characters and the storylines intrigued me and I had to keep reading to find out if the story was going to pan out in the way in which I thought that it would. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the book. The first time I checked on my reading progress, I was staggered to realise that I had read over a quarter of the book in one reading binge. My Kindle wasn’t glued to my hands but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘Devil’s Chimney’. I found ‘Devils Chimney’ to be a gripping crime drama, which certainly kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat.
‘Devil’s Chimney’ is very well written. The author certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into what proves to be one hell of a read and then some. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace. Adam clearly cares about his characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which he talks about them. He really does make his characters seem just as real as you and I. Reading this book felt a bit like being on an at times scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. I love the way in which Adam made the reader (me) feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Devil’s Chimney’ and I would recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Adam’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Alyson Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a storm in Eastbourne destroys the chalk outcrop known as Devil’s Chimney at Beachy Head, a burglar is off about his business. PCs Rutherford Barnes and his hard-to handle partner Harriet Holden are on foot patrol, detailed with catching the man, Howard Van Leer, who has left a trail of thefts since leaving prison 6 weeks ago. Unfortunately his latest target is the home of Harriet, a threatening message daubed on the wall in red as Barnes spots him outside and gives chase. Apprehended and on remand, he intimates that Harriet’s life is at risk. Then she disappears and Barnes, newly promoted to trainee detective constable whilst still a probationer, and DC Nightingale search for her. When they find her body slashed and bludgeoned to death in the chief suspect’s home, they know they must be looking for at least one other conspirator. Someone who wanted them to know where her body had been left. After two weeks the detectives know very little, not even where Harriet was murdered. Then another officer disappears and more bodies appear. Barnes is on fire, catching criminals and making arrests but is he really so good or merely a useful pawn to a higher power? Little does Barnes realise how big and far reaching this investigation will be.
I liked Barnes, not perfect by any means but a good man trying to do his best and please everyone, and certainly troubled by his conscience at times. The story features a convoluted and very twisty plot where lots of strands are brought together in a thrilling conclusion. Some bits however, such as a very new trainee featuring prominently in the very high-profile case of the murder of an off-duty police constable, seemed a little fantastical. There was also rather too much of his not terribly exciting home life for my liking, including his nagging wife (I really didn’t like her character) pressuring him into having a baby whilst he was still trying to forge a career and get them out of debt. Occasionally the story felt a bit wordy and dragged a little which slowed down the pace and tension in an otherwise great police procedural. There’s lots of potential for a new series and I’d love to read more stories featuring Barnes but preferably as part of a team next time. 4*

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was vey impressed by this book, the technicality of the description of Police work was fascinating, betraying the experience of the author. Other readers may have found this detracted from the flow of the story line but not me! I found the evocation of the places in which the action takes place clear and vivid. The language was good and the characters multi faceted and well drawn. The protagonist Barnes’ character, past, flaws and motivation to succeed make him an attractive lead for the story. The strength of the novel was in not tying up every loose end, just suggesting a potential way ahead for Barnes and his wife. I guessed early on what the ‘twist’ was likely to be, but understanding the motivation of all concerned was an excellent read. Rather than writing a resumé of the plot I have decided to concentrate on praising the writing and characterisation. Thanks indeed to Joffe books for offering the ARC of this book, I really look forward to reading this author again and visiting the places he so well brought to life.

[MRS PATRICIA PAGE · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well written, but VERY far fetched!!

Although well written with likeable characters it was totally unbelievable and therefore disappointing! I borrowed the 2nd book in this series through my unlimited account, but returned it unread. Don't think my imagination could stretch that far!!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting crime fiction debut that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Adam Lyndon’s Devil’s Chimney is a must-read for Peter James fans.

Rutherford James and Harriet Holden are two ambitious police officers doing the rounds on a wild and stormy night on England’s south coast. Both keen to impress and determined to climb up the ranks, when they see a burglar fleeing the scene of the crime they give chase. Only this was no ordinary burglary for the location is Harriet’s house, the whole ground floor has been ransacked and a message has been left across one wall of the house scrawled in blood red: Dead Cops Sleep Long.

It’s clear that somebody is targeting the local constabulary and Rutherford and Harriet plan to find out who is behind it and put a stop to it. Only, Harriet never gets the chance because a few days later, her body is found in a dingy and derelict seaside hotel. Newly promoted to detective, Rutherford will not rest until he finds out who has murdered his partner and why.

Will Rutherford manage to crack this case? Or will his partner’s killer end up walking free?

A brilliant police procedural full of realistic detail, believable dialogue and staggering twists and turns you simply won’t see coming, Devil’s Chimney packs a punch and grips from page one. Adam Lyndon’s writing is sharp and assured and although Devil’s’ Chimney is his debut, readers known from the very beginning that they are in very safe hands.

Rutherford James is a cocky, confident and determined detective who will do whatever it takes to make sure that his partner’s killer is punished.

An enjoyable crime novel from a writer to watch out for, fans of the genre will not want to miss out on Adam Lyndon’s debut Devil Chimney.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Cidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of the Rutherford Barnes mysteries, and I finished the second a few days ago! This book introduces police constable Barnes and his partner Harriet Holden, on patrol they come across a house being burgled and Barnes chases the burglar but doesn't catch him. On returning to Harriet and the house he discovers that it is in fact Harriet's house and the burglar has sprayed on the wall in red paint I think it was dead cops sleep long, or words to that effect. Harriet is very shaken.

A few days later Harriet turns up naked and dead on a dirty matress in a hovel of a guest house which houses those on bail. Barnes does recognise the burglar and then begins the chase to find him and bring him to court. There are a lot of twists and turns to this book and his second partner Cathy goes walkabout and nobody knows where she is until she turns up driving the jeep which runs into the back of the police van taking the burglar to court. It gets more mysterious from here on.

I really like Barnes he seems a thoroughly respectful insightful decent nice guy, although I do know that he does something in the book which goes against the grain for a cop and well prices have to be paid.

I don't know if there are any more in this series to buy but I'm going back online to look for them, yeah a good author!

[Sian Morant · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a stormy and wild night, most police officers are hoping they don’t get called out. The exception is Rutherford Barnes and Harriet Holden who are both young and ambitious. They see a burglar apparently fleeing the scene of a crime. Barnes gives chase, but Harriet is aghast to find it is her house that has been targeted and ransacked. In addition, spray painted on the wall are the words DEAD COPS SLEEP LONG which suggests a personal motive. This is confirmed a few days later when Harriet disappears and then her badly battered body is found in a dingy, down at heel hotel.
Rutherford Barnes wants to find out why his former partner has been murdered and is given the chance unexpectedly with promotion to CID.
This is a tautly written police procedural written by a serving police officer with an interesting plotline and plenty of convincing detail.
Only three stars due to the following:
The character of Barnes’s wife Eve was awful. Always whining and anyone who keeps calling their husband ‘Chief’ really needs sorting out.
The killing of an animal, although brief, added absolutely nothing to the story.
The novel was a bit too long and meandered about a bit in the middle.
The reason why Harriet was killed was a little obscure.
Am undecided whether I will continue with the series.

[Mrs J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Increased in tension and action

This book introduces Rutherford Barney’s, a probationary police constable with big ambitions, in the historic town of Eastbourne. The landscape, coastline and weather are put to good use in this dark, chilly thriller. Barney’s soon finds himself moved to CID and over his head amidst the investigation into his colleague’s murder. There is plenty of twists and red herrings as the plot becomes more complicated than it needs to be.
I found the first half of the book slightly irritating and frustrating. There were a few too many ‘lucky’ breaks and chasms in the common sense and intelligence of the main character Barnes. Gaps in the plot, logic and procedures niggled as Barnes blithely stormed on, seemingly oblivious to who his wife was, in spite of the detailed, distracting back story the reader was gifted!
The increasing tension and pace in the second half of the book gave a chance for a clearer impression of Barnes’ character and there was a more dramatic, satisfying conclusion.

[Lolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The overall plot of Devil's Chimney has potential, but the first half of the book is long winded and contains a lot of details that aren't really needed. It also feels as though the story switched half way through. The book starts with a robbery and moves on to a murder mystery. Then the murder, which quickly becomes the central focus, is sidelined in favour of a possible criminal gang working in the area. Then it moves on through the personal trials of some of the characters to look at corruption and drug smuggling. While these events are linked, there are a lot of unanswered questions and bits of the story that aren't followed up on at all. After the ending of the last chapter, there is an epilogue which attempts to finish off a number of the plot lines which otherwise would be left unfinished. This seemed as though the author hadn't properly planned the plot and so decided to just stick a few summaries at the end of the book and call it a day. Even still, not all storylines were wrapped up (what became of Natasha, for example?).

[Robert Crouch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to this police procedural because it featured my hometown on Eastbourne and the adjoining South Downs. It started well with Barnes chasing and arresting a burglar, who’d been caught ransacking his colleague Harriet’s house. When her body is found a few days later, the burglar has the perfect alibi – he was in police custody.

This is only the start of a twisting, complex story where no one could be trusted or believed. Barnes’ rapid promotion from uniform to CID comes at a price, as he’s thrown in at the deep end of the investigation into Harriet’s death. Then the plot became difficult to follow in places when Barnes went solo, pursuing his own agenda.

While the pace and tension increased towards an exciting climax, I never quite recovered from the struggles I had with the plot and some of the characters.

[Nancy]

Meet Detective Rutherford Barnes in this brilliant new crime series from a serving police officer

On a wild and stormy night on England’s south coast, ambitious young police constables Rutherford Barnes and Harriet Holden are doing the rounds when they see a burglar fleeing the scene of the crime.

And it’s Harriet’s house. The ground floor is ransacked. Scrawled in red across one wall are the words: DEAD COPS SLEEP LONG.

Then a few days later, Harriet’s battered body is discovered in a shabby seafront hotel.

Newly promoted to Detective, Barnes vows to discover who killed his partner, and why.

Harriet had a dark secret. As Barnes uncovers a layer of corruption which threatens to expose people at the highest levels of the force, he has a terrible choice to make: justice for Harriet — or his career.


Didn't completely read.

[Beachcomber · Rating 3 out of 5]

A detective series written by a serving police officer, so you know the knowledge and detail will be right. It was an interesting enough plot, but I didn’t really take to Barnes - one minute he’s the rookie detective and learning things, the next he’s telling senior officers what to do. And I didn’t really buy Barnes and Eve being strapped for cash because they spent a fair bit on holidays or meals - I’d expect any police officer to be more savvy and live within their means… after all, surely if you’re way overdue on bills, that makes you a risk for corruption?

An OK book, and I do have number 3 in the series to give the characters another hearing…

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review. Apologies for the delay in providing this.

[Denise Zendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ambitious young police constables Rutherford Barnes and Harriet Holden are doing the rounds on England’s south coast when they see a burglar fleeing the scene of the crime – at Holden’s house. A few days later, Holden’s body is discovered in a shabby seafront hotel. Barnes vows to discover who killed his partner, and why.

I love dark, gritty British police procedurals and this one fit the bill perfectly. The plot is fast-moving, filled with twists and turns and held my interest, start to finish; the characters are well-drawn; and the settings well-described; and the police procedural parts feel authentic. I liked this book enough that I bought book two in the series as soon as I finished book 1. If you like authors like Joy Ellis, Helen H. Durrant, Bill Kitson, Angela Marsons, Elly Griffiths, or J.M. Dalgliesh, I’d give Lydon’s books a go. He knows whereof he writes.

[Gordon Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent police procedural, although overly detailed in local history and the minutiae of policing. While the core story arc around the brutal murder of a young PC is compelling, there were a few too many secondary story lines that made the novel much longer than it had to be.

Lead character Rutherford Barnes (known simply as Barnes) starts as a probationary PC but has already apparently been marked for big things. Moving into CID he is championed by a senior officer and follows his advice. Barnes seems to find himself at the centre of every major incident - surely not coincidence?

The story line becomes broader as the novel progresses, with grand conspiracies in the air. The big reveal that leads to the eventual conclusion wasn't too much of a shock though.