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Inspector Peach #2
Missing, Presumed Dead
Detective Inspector ‘Percy’ Peach is not a natural sportsman.
However, as chance would have it, a recent discovery at his local club might just allow for his other talents to come to the fore.
A body has been found on the golf course.
It is that of a pregnant young woman, killed by strangulation.
Upon examining the body, they make a troubling discovery.
Her corpse has been there approximately two years.
Peach is given the case, but along with a cold trail, he must contend with his new sidekick, one DS Blake, as well as Tommy Tucker, his snobbish superior.
From the girl’s grieving parents to her former flames, everyone seems to know more about this case than they are letting on.
As the suspect list lengthens, Peach realises that the killer might be closer to home than he first thought…
'Missing, Presumed Dead' is the next thrilling installment to the DI Percy Peach series.
Praise for J M Gregson:
‘Begins with quiet observation before pouncing to murderous effect’ - Sunday Express
‘A chilling story that never flags from start to finish’ - Bolton Evening News
James Michael Gregson taught for twenty-seven years in schools, colleges and universities before concentrating on full-time writing. He has written books on subjects as diverse as golf and Shakespeare. His other crime novels include ‘Bring Forth Your Dead’, ‘Dead on Course’, ‘Making a Killing’, ‘Stranglehold’ and ‘Body Politic’.
Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.
However, as chance would have it, a recent discovery at his local club might just allow for his other talents to come to the fore.
A body has been found on the golf course.
It is that of a pregnant young woman, killed by strangulation.
Upon examining the body, they make a troubling discovery.
Her corpse has been there approximately two years.
Peach is given the case, but along with a cold trail, he must contend with his new sidekick, one DS Blake, as well as Tommy Tucker, his snobbish superior.
From the girl’s grieving parents to her former flames, everyone seems to know more about this case than they are letting on.
As the suspect list lengthens, Peach realises that the killer might be closer to home than he first thought…
'Missing, Presumed Dead' is the next thrilling installment to the DI Percy Peach series.
Praise for J M Gregson:
‘Begins with quiet observation before pouncing to murderous effect’ - Sunday Express
‘A chilling story that never flags from start to finish’ - Bolton Evening News
James Michael Gregson taught for twenty-seven years in schools, colleges and universities before concentrating on full-time writing. He has written books on subjects as diverse as golf and Shakespeare. His other crime novels include ‘Bring Forth Your Dead’, ‘Dead on Course’, ‘Making a Killing’, ‘Stranglehold’ and ‘Body Politic’.
Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.
213 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 1997
102 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Gregson
63 books48 followersJames Michael Gregson taught for twenty-seven years in schools, colleges and universities before concentrating on full-time writing. He has written books on subjects as diverse as golf and Shakespeare.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 7, 2016
DI Percy Peach has been persuaded to join a prestigious golf club even though his golf isn't really that good. Unfortunately one of the first things that happen after he joins is the discovery of a body. The club's members decide to remodel the 8th hole by draining a pool in a quarry and creating a lake. The body is discovered at the bottom of the lake. Once the identity of the young girl - Debbie Minton - is discovered there are plenty of suspects. It seems she wasn't the angelic daughter her grieving mother believes her to have been.
I enjoyed reading this well plotted police procedural crime novel and like the way DS Lucy Blake is introduced into the series much to Peach's disgust. He really doesn't want to work with a woman but maybe he is going to have to change his mind about Lucy.
As well as having darker themes to it there is plenty of humour in this well written story and anyone who enjoys crime novels without too much graphic violence and bad language will probably enjoy this series. Peach himself is an interesting and likeable character as is Lucy Blake.
I enjoyed reading this well plotted police procedural crime novel and like the way DS Lucy Blake is introduced into the series much to Peach's disgust. He really doesn't want to work with a woman but maybe he is going to have to change his mind about Lucy.
As well as having darker themes to it there is plenty of humour in this well written story and anyone who enjoys crime novels without too much graphic violence and bad language will probably enjoy this series. Peach himself is an interesting and likeable character as is Lucy Blake.
November 4, 2021
Great stuff
If you want a murder mystery, this one is for you. At a time when women are still frowned upon in many workplaces, Percy Peach is pleasantly surprised to find that his new detective partner is not only easy on the eye, but that they make a formidable team. With droll wit the murderer is revealed. Very satisfying.
If you want a murder mystery, this one is for you. At a time when women are still frowned upon in many workplaces, Percy Peach is pleasantly surprised to find that his new detective partner is not only easy on the eye, but that they make a formidable team. With droll wit the murderer is revealed. Very satisfying.
March 2, 2025
Another great Gregson murder mystery
Missing, Presumed Dead is another exciting murder mystery in the Inspector Peach series. Gregson introduces Peach's new assistant, which creates an interesting side story. A great read. Looking forward to more in this series.
Missing, Presumed Dead is another exciting murder mystery in the Inspector Peach series. Gregson introduces Peach's new assistant, which creates an interesting side story. A great read. Looking forward to more in this series.
August 6, 2025
Much better than the first in the series. Peach has become a bit more likeable by the influence of his new female sidekick.
August 27, 2016
"An entertaining read"
Percy Peach and Lucy Greene are yet another pair of detectives thrown together.by their superiors to see if they gel as a team. A world-weary DI in his late thirties, Percy seems old before his time in this one. His new DS, Lucy is ten years younger, fit and attractive, with all the 'get-up and go' that we've come to expect from decades of similar pairings on both sides of the Atlantic. Their first case concerns the discovery of a body on a golf course. There are a lot of stones to be turned over until the culprit is uncovered and the plot, characters and police procedurals are all handled with aplomb. Percy and Lucy are like two pieces of a jigsaw. You know that at the start all the hard edges of their characters will knock against one another and sparks will fly. It's a given that they will solve the case; but will they eventually manoeuvre those hard edges so that they discover they're a perfect fit? Perhaps this series has some mileage left in it as we find out?
Percy Peach and Lucy Greene are yet another pair of detectives thrown together.by their superiors to see if they gel as a team. A world-weary DI in his late thirties, Percy seems old before his time in this one. His new DS, Lucy is ten years younger, fit and attractive, with all the 'get-up and go' that we've come to expect from decades of similar pairings on both sides of the Atlantic. Their first case concerns the discovery of a body on a golf course. There are a lot of stones to be turned over until the culprit is uncovered and the plot, characters and police procedurals are all handled with aplomb. Percy and Lucy are like two pieces of a jigsaw. You know that at the start all the hard edges of their characters will knock against one another and sparks will fly. It's a given that they will solve the case; but will they eventually manoeuvre those hard edges so that they discover they're a perfect fit? Perhaps this series has some mileage left in it as we find out?
May 31, 2008
This is the first Percy Peach novel, or at least the first featuring DS Blake. It sets the tone and conventions for the novels to follow: Peach joins the North Lancashire golf club, heaps scorn and mockery on his boss Tommy Tucker, is assigned a murder investigation in which the body has been found 2 years after the fact, and brings the investigation to a successful conclusion despite the lack of physical and forensic evidence. In this case there was essentially no evidence against the perpetrator, so Gregson had to invent a Perry Mason-like ending in which the accused simply confesses after being confronted with the suspicions against him.
Not one of the best in the series.
Not one of the best in the series.
September 16, 2016
Currently reading this crime novel and I'm enjoying it so far, although surprised that it was first published in 1997; somehow it feels more dated than that. The setting in the golf club and the way that Inspector "Percy" Peach is described makes it feel more like the 1960s. However, we'll see ... full review later.
May 10, 2017
While the first in this series totally failed to interest me, this one's a peach. Yes, Percy is pugnacious, tends to go for he jugular when interviewing a suspect, and might have been a dyed in the wool chauvinist until Lucy got hold of him, but there's a lively charm about him that makes this - taking into account murder is the subject - an amusing read.
December 24, 2016
A good read with some interesting and believable main characters. Peach and his sidekick new sergeant develop an interesting relationship.
The plot was an interesting one, however the story was just getting into its side and the mystery of who dunnit was starting to be developed it ended.
The plot was an interesting one, however the story was just getting into its side and the mystery of who dunnit was starting to be developed it ended.
May 17, 2015
Excellent read. One of the early Percy Peach novels.
Pacy and interesting.
Highly recommended.
Pacy and interesting.
Highly recommended.
June 8, 2016
Good read with some good humour
May 8, 2016
Good
the story that shows how a supervisor in a police station in England who is very jealous of the detective who works under him
the story that shows how a supervisor in a police station in England who is very jealous of the detective who works under him
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August 29, 2016A well written and delightful English detective novel. Easy enjoyable reading
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews