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The Dumpster Murder: A Gruesome Tale of Severed Hands
A quiet town, a sinister past, and one brutal murder that cracks open a conspiracy…
Detective Harrison steps into a sleepy town expecting dusty files and tepid cases. However, the vicious murder of recluse Douglas Rush, an enigma with secrets buried as deep as the town’s forgotten history, smashes the illusion.
The Detective teams up with journalist Meg Hoffman, and together, they sniff out connections to a years-old cold case. They soon uncover a tangled web of deceit entwined with Doug’s estranged daughter and a reclusive artist with dark secrets and paint-stained hands.
Yet, as the stakes explode, the past sins of others reek like a festering wound as the most shocking revelation remains hidden.
Still, Detective Harrison is determined to untangle this deadly knot, no matter which skeletons tumble out of the closet. Time is slipping, and the shadows are growing longer.
Are they closing in or just circling a ghost?
Detective Harrison steps into a sleepy town expecting dusty files and tepid cases. However, the vicious murder of recluse Douglas Rush, an enigma with secrets buried as deep as the town’s forgotten history, smashes the illusion.
The Detective teams up with journalist Meg Hoffman, and together, they sniff out connections to a years-old cold case. They soon uncover a tangled web of deceit entwined with Doug’s estranged daughter and a reclusive artist with dark secrets and paint-stained hands.
Yet, as the stakes explode, the past sins of others reek like a festering wound as the most shocking revelation remains hidden.
Still, Detective Harrison is determined to untangle this deadly knot, no matter which skeletons tumble out of the closet. Time is slipping, and the shadows are growing longer.
Are they closing in or just circling a ghost?
100 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2025
2 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 3, 2025
Okay, The Dumpster Murder by Diane Scotland hooked me way harder than I expected. I cracked this one open thinking I’d get a quiet, maybe even cozy little murder mystery. Nope. What I got was a gritty, slow-burning crime thriller wrapped in conspiracy, regret, and a town choking on its secrets.
From the jump, Detective Harrison is the kind of character I can ride shotgun with—no-nonsense, smart, but carrying just enough wear-and-tear to feel real. He rolls into this town thinking he's landed a cake assignment. I was right there with him, expecting low-stakes drama and dusty case files. But then BAM—murder. Brutal, messy, and anything but straightforward.
What really got me though? Meg Hoffman, the journalist. The dynamic between her and Harrison is electric in that restrained, we’re-not-doing-this-but-we-totally-are kind of way. They dig into Doug Rush’s murder, and suddenly we’re knee-deep in a years-cold case that starts unraveling like an old sweater. I live for that kind of layered mystery—the kind that gets messier the closer you look.
The atmosphere is thick with small-town tension. Everyone’s got secrets, and no one’s talking straight. Add in Doug’s estranged daughter with her own baggage and a creepy artist who gave me chills more than once… whew. The vibes were immaculate: claustrophobic, dusty, and dangerous. This town felt like it was rotting from the inside out, and I loved every second of watching it come apart.
Scotland does this thing where just when you think you’ve got a grip on what’s happening, she throws you sideways. Every twist hit hard—nothing cheap or predictable. And that final revelation? Jaw. Dropped.
If you like your murder mysteries with grit, a little darkness, and a whole lot of tangled secrets, The Dumpster Murder will eat you alive—in the best way. It’s got that True Detective edge but with its own unique rhythm.
This isn’t just a whodunit—it’s a why the hell did they do it and who else is lying about it kind of ride. And I was here for all of it.
From the jump, Detective Harrison is the kind of character I can ride shotgun with—no-nonsense, smart, but carrying just enough wear-and-tear to feel real. He rolls into this town thinking he's landed a cake assignment. I was right there with him, expecting low-stakes drama and dusty case files. But then BAM—murder. Brutal, messy, and anything but straightforward.
What really got me though? Meg Hoffman, the journalist. The dynamic between her and Harrison is electric in that restrained, we’re-not-doing-this-but-we-totally-are kind of way. They dig into Doug Rush’s murder, and suddenly we’re knee-deep in a years-cold case that starts unraveling like an old sweater. I live for that kind of layered mystery—the kind that gets messier the closer you look.
The atmosphere is thick with small-town tension. Everyone’s got secrets, and no one’s talking straight. Add in Doug’s estranged daughter with her own baggage and a creepy artist who gave me chills more than once… whew. The vibes were immaculate: claustrophobic, dusty, and dangerous. This town felt like it was rotting from the inside out, and I loved every second of watching it come apart.
Scotland does this thing where just when you think you’ve got a grip on what’s happening, she throws you sideways. Every twist hit hard—nothing cheap or predictable. And that final revelation? Jaw. Dropped.
If you like your murder mysteries with grit, a little darkness, and a whole lot of tangled secrets, The Dumpster Murder will eat you alive—in the best way. It’s got that True Detective edge but with its own unique rhythm.
This isn’t just a whodunit—it’s a why the hell did they do it and who else is lying about it kind of ride. And I was here for all of it.
May 27, 2025
The Dumpster Murder: A Gruesome Tale of Severed Hands
by Diane Scotland
I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Diane Scotland delivers a dark, gripping mystery that begins with a body found mutilated beside a dumpster and spirals into a tangled web of lies, blackmail, and a cold case no one wants reopened. Detective Harrison, with the help of Monroe and journalist Meg, uncovers decades-old secrets in a race against time before another victim is claimed.
The prose is richly descriptive, pulling you into the gritty streets and haunting truths. While the start was a bit slow to grip me, the pace soon accelerates and builds real intensity. The final chapters deliver a satisfying payoff as justice rises from the shadows. A must-read for fans of gritty crime thrillers with complex investigations and lingering suspense.
4 out of 5 stars.
by Diane Scotland
I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Diane Scotland delivers a dark, gripping mystery that begins with a body found mutilated beside a dumpster and spirals into a tangled web of lies, blackmail, and a cold case no one wants reopened. Detective Harrison, with the help of Monroe and journalist Meg, uncovers decades-old secrets in a race against time before another victim is claimed.
The prose is richly descriptive, pulling you into the gritty streets and haunting truths. While the start was a bit slow to grip me, the pace soon accelerates and builds real intensity. The final chapters deliver a satisfying payoff as justice rises from the shadows. A must-read for fans of gritty crime thrillers with complex investigations and lingering suspense.
4 out of 5 stars.
July 12, 2025
Small Town Secrets
Many places think they know everyone, everyone's history, what they have or haven't done, many times because 'so and so said so.' They feel at ease around someone because they know their family, they have been there forever, or they do not feel comfortable.
My point is that a person may think they know...
Now, when a person paints very good paintings, which are missing hands, in this small town, what would a police officer think?
This was a short story, but it was not short on how much ground it covered. It was well written, to the point of following the real leads, not the ones they are told to follow.
The ending is nothing that it appeared to be.
Thank you, Diane Scotland, for a great story!
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Many places think they know everyone, everyone's history, what they have or haven't done, many times because 'so and so said so.' They feel at ease around someone because they know their family, they have been there forever, or they do not feel comfortable.
My point is that a person may think they know...
Now, when a person paints very good paintings, which are missing hands, in this small town, what would a police officer think?
This was a short story, but it was not short on how much ground it covered. It was well written, to the point of following the real leads, not the ones they are told to follow.
The ending is nothing that it appeared to be.
Thank you, Diane Scotland, for a great story!
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review.
May 25, 2025
Harrison is suddenly faced with the gruesome murder of his neighbour Doug found in a dumpster near his house. A cold case may have been linked to this. Meg and Monroe join him in the hunt for the killer. There is a lot more than meets the eye with secrets, betrayal, threats and corruption having a hand in this murder mystery. An intriguing read. I received this ARC copy via Booksprouts and recommend this book to other readers.
May 27, 2025
Sleepy town that secrets are hidden. Both current and in their history. Detective Harrison and journalist Meg Hoffman are working on a murder of a man that was found by a dumpster with his hands cut off. During their research the find that this isn't the first victim found like that. It actually went back decades and that is where they started their investigation.
The killer was definitely someone they didn't expect. Good story line.
I received an arc and this is my review.
The killer was definitely someone they didn't expect. Good story line.
I received an arc and this is my review.
May 26, 2025
When a murder seems to have similarities to a decades old cold case, can a detective and a journalist solve both? Fast-paced mystery with too many secrets from long-ago finally seeing the light of day. A definite must-read!
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest and voluntary review.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest and voluntary review.
May 27, 2025
A really fast paced mystery with interesting complex characters. Could this latest murder be related to a cold case? Lots of twists and turns, murder intrigue and mayhem making this a real page turner and a must read! I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest and voluntary review. I loved this book and hope there is more to come from Detective Harrison!
May 31, 2025
This book was ok not really a twister it was a mystery but i feel like it was a slow mystery not alot of trying to guess who did it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 5, 2025
I liked the chemistry between the two main characters, but I thought the story was rather slow moving. It didn't take long to read this book. All in all, not a bad story. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.
May 25, 2025
Good mystery. As the title says it is a little gruesome. A hard edged mystery with solid police work to solve the case. Great final conclusion. Good characters.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews