What do you think?
Rate this book
Detective Jan Talantire #4
The Deep End: A totally gripping crime thriller from the million-copy bestseller
The darkest secrets lie right beneath the surface.
On Boxing Day a mystery woman’s body is found washed up under Teignmouth Pier. She has no ID but is wearing a wetsuit. When the post-mortem shows heavy metal poisoning, DI Jan Talantire is called in.
Talantire herself is caught in an ongoing game of cat-and-mouse against her nemesis Commander Brent West. Her complaint against him for abusive behaviour foundered when she was accused by the investigating panel of collusion with another complainant, PC Nadine Lister, to bring West down.
With her career hanging by a thread, Talantire discovers that the route to solving the mystery is tangled up with the death of the woman on the Devon Coast. Brent West, it seems, will go to any lengths to protect his career.
And that includes murder.
A razor-sharp, suspense-filled crime thriller from the million-copy bestseller, perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves and Elly Griffiths.
On Boxing Day a mystery woman’s body is found washed up under Teignmouth Pier. She has no ID but is wearing a wetsuit. When the post-mortem shows heavy metal poisoning, DI Jan Talantire is called in.
Talantire herself is caught in an ongoing game of cat-and-mouse against her nemesis Commander Brent West. Her complaint against him for abusive behaviour foundered when she was accused by the investigating panel of collusion with another complainant, PC Nadine Lister, to bring West down.
With her career hanging by a thread, Talantire discovers that the route to solving the mystery is tangled up with the death of the woman on the Devon Coast. Brent West, it seems, will go to any lengths to protect his career.
And that includes murder.
A razor-sharp, suspense-filled crime thriller from the million-copy bestseller, perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves and Elly Griffiths.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 13, 2025
15 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Nick Louth
40 books292 followersNick Louth is a freelance journalist and author, based in Lincolnshire UK.
Before beginning writing fiction, he was a foreign correspondent for Reuters news agency, and a regular contributor to the Financial Times, MSN, and many financial magazines.
Before beginning writing fiction, he was a foreign correspondent for Reuters news agency, and a regular contributor to the Financial Times, MSN, and many financial magazines.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 2, 2025
* An exciting book. My rating 4.25. *
THE DEEP END is book #4 in the Jan Talantire series by Nick Louth. I recently read book #3, which I considered a well-written police procedural, and gave it a 3.5 rating. I expected THE DEEP END to follow the same path, and initially it did. Then it veered off into a different direction, one I was not expecting. It was a gripping story, a novel with unexpected twists and turns, one I couldn't put down.
The story begins with the discovery of a woman's body in water under a pier—a "Medusa" with empty eye sockets—on the day after Christmas. Detective Inspector Jan Talantire is handed the case, and because it is holiday time, the station is short handed. The Medusa is wearing a wet suit but has no ID and it takes time to identify her. Also, the autopsy finds that she died of heavy metal poisoning. Was this murder or an accident?
Concurrent with Jan's inquiries into the dead woman's death, the story continues a thread that started earlier in the series—Jan's complaint against Commander Brent West for sexual harassment. I was glad that I had read #3 in the Jan Talantire series ("The Dark Edge") because I immediately understood this background. Slowly the narrative shifts more towards Jan's free-time investigations into how and why her complaint against West was torpedoed. And suddenly this thread explodes in an unexpected way.
The only reason I didn't give THE DEEP END five stars was because it was a bit unbelievable; the villain was too diabolical, too corrupt, involved in too many nefarious activities. But I couldn't stop reading it.
It can be read as a standalone, although I think that having read an earlier book in the series gave me a deeper understanding of the story arc.
Thanks to Canelo for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My review for an earlier book in this series:
The Dark Edge (Detective Jan Talantire Book 3)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE DEEP END is book #4 in the Jan Talantire series by Nick Louth. I recently read book #3, which I considered a well-written police procedural, and gave it a 3.5 rating. I expected THE DEEP END to follow the same path, and initially it did. Then it veered off into a different direction, one I was not expecting. It was a gripping story, a novel with unexpected twists and turns, one I couldn't put down.
The story begins with the discovery of a woman's body in water under a pier—a "Medusa" with empty eye sockets—on the day after Christmas. Detective Inspector Jan Talantire is handed the case, and because it is holiday time, the station is short handed. The Medusa is wearing a wet suit but has no ID and it takes time to identify her. Also, the autopsy finds that she died of heavy metal poisoning. Was this murder or an accident?
Concurrent with Jan's inquiries into the dead woman's death, the story continues a thread that started earlier in the series—Jan's complaint against Commander Brent West for sexual harassment. I was glad that I had read #3 in the Jan Talantire series ("The Dark Edge") because I immediately understood this background. Slowly the narrative shifts more towards Jan's free-time investigations into how and why her complaint against West was torpedoed. And suddenly this thread explodes in an unexpected way.
The only reason I didn't give THE DEEP END five stars was because it was a bit unbelievable; the villain was too diabolical, too corrupt, involved in too many nefarious activities. But I couldn't stop reading it.
It can be read as a standalone, although I think that having read an earlier book in the series gave me a deeper understanding of the story arc.
Thanks to Canelo for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My review for an earlier book in this series:
The Dark Edge (Detective Jan Talantire Book 3)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 5, 2025
3.75 / 5.0
A great book from start to finish, one that has been brewing and wanting to be closed for sometime across the four books. I’ll be honest, and say that I failed to finish the second and third book, due to how heavy the police politics were involved which took away from the plot. Sadly it’s become increasingly common to hear stories of abuse within the police force occur with the most recent and well documented was the death of Sarah Everard by a serving police force member. I found it too far at points that I could not continue further but I am aware of the plots of the last two books. This book is a heavy book, that requires a lot of emotional stamina and patience. Credit to the author for evoking such emotion from the reader. I’m glad that there is closure and an end to this which I have found to be at background of every plot but expanding and growing across the pages.
The book is centred around a woman’s body found washed up under the Teignmouth Pier, where post Mortem shows that she suffered from severe metal poisoning. Jan is called in to investigate and close out, but as she begins to investigate she starts to uncover a lot of things not adding up subtly. Whilst also dealing with her nemesis Commander Brent West- where she called out his abusive behaviour and was accused of colluding with another colleague of hers PC Nadine Lister to try and bring west down. Her career is hanging on by a thread but Jan knows the only way to get to the end is to solve the death if this mystery woman. It’s seems like it’s a race against time to solve this case before she finds herself on the firing line.
Overall it’s a great read, it’s a book that gives readers that are part of the journey closure, and one where we can see Jan try and live her life again and build herself up from all the pain and humiliation she encountered. What an absolute strong human being. I’m excited to see what the next adventures are and how her character grows more.
A great book from start to finish, one that has been brewing and wanting to be closed for sometime across the four books. I’ll be honest, and say that I failed to finish the second and third book, due to how heavy the police politics were involved which took away from the plot. Sadly it’s become increasingly common to hear stories of abuse within the police force occur with the most recent and well documented was the death of Sarah Everard by a serving police force member. I found it too far at points that I could not continue further but I am aware of the plots of the last two books. This book is a heavy book, that requires a lot of emotional stamina and patience. Credit to the author for evoking such emotion from the reader. I’m glad that there is closure and an end to this which I have found to be at background of every plot but expanding and growing across the pages.
The book is centred around a woman’s body found washed up under the Teignmouth Pier, where post Mortem shows that she suffered from severe metal poisoning. Jan is called in to investigate and close out, but as she begins to investigate she starts to uncover a lot of things not adding up subtly. Whilst also dealing with her nemesis Commander Brent West- where she called out his abusive behaviour and was accused of colluding with another colleague of hers PC Nadine Lister to try and bring west down. Her career is hanging on by a thread but Jan knows the only way to get to the end is to solve the death if this mystery woman. It’s seems like it’s a race against time to solve this case before she finds herself on the firing line.
Overall it’s a great read, it’s a book that gives readers that are part of the journey closure, and one where we can see Jan try and live her life again and build herself up from all the pain and humiliation she encountered. What an absolute strong human being. I’m excited to see what the next adventures are and how her character grows more.
December 5, 2025
Absolutely brilliant. Cleared up a few things from previous books too . Fantastic.
December 16, 2025
📚The Deep End
✍🏻Nick Louth
Blurb:
The darkest secrets lie right beneath the surface.
On Boxing Day a mystery woman’s body is found washed up under Teignmouth Pier. She has no ID but is wearing a wetsuit. When the post-mortem shows heavy metal poisoning, DI Jan Talantire is called in.
Talantire herself is caught in an ongoing game of cat-and-mouse against her nemesis Commander Brent West. Her complaint against him for abusive behaviour foundered when she was accused by the investigating panel of collusion with another complainant, PC Nadine Lister, to bring West down.
With her career hanging by a thread, Talantire discovers that the route to solving the mystery is tangled up with the death of the woman on the Devon Coast. Brent West, it seems, will go to any lengths to protect his career.
And that includes murder.
A razor-sharp, suspense-filled crime thriller from the million-copy bestseller, perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves and Elly Griffiths.
My Thoughts:
The story begins with the discovery of a woman's body in water under a pier—a "Medusa" with empty eye sockets—on the day after Christmas. Detective Inspector Jan Talantire is handed the case, and because it is holiday time, the station is short handed. The Medusa is wearing a wet suit but has no ID and it takes time to identify her. Also, the autopsy finds that she died of heavy metal poisoning. Was this murder or an accident?Jan is called in to investigate and close out, but as she begins to investigate she starts to uncover a lot of things not adding highly recommended procedural/crime thriller . At the same time Talantire's sexual harassment case against Commander Brent West is on going and she uncovers additional information. She continues to face roadblocks as West's influence is wide spread. She discovers both interesting and tragic facts about the woman, who was a sculptor, and whose estranged son actually worked for the police. This leads Jan to more questions, including a sense that her time is running out, particularly after Nadine goes missing with no trace. The pace is steady but relentless, as each revelation peels back another layer of deceit. The stakes are sky high as it is clear that West will go to any length to protect his career, even murder.
Thanks NetGalley, Canelo and Author Nick Louth for the advanced copy of "The Deep End" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#Canelo
#TheDeepEnd
#NickLouth
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏻Nick Louth
Blurb:
The darkest secrets lie right beneath the surface.
On Boxing Day a mystery woman’s body is found washed up under Teignmouth Pier. She has no ID but is wearing a wetsuit. When the post-mortem shows heavy metal poisoning, DI Jan Talantire is called in.
Talantire herself is caught in an ongoing game of cat-and-mouse against her nemesis Commander Brent West. Her complaint against him for abusive behaviour foundered when she was accused by the investigating panel of collusion with another complainant, PC Nadine Lister, to bring West down.
With her career hanging by a thread, Talantire discovers that the route to solving the mystery is tangled up with the death of the woman on the Devon Coast. Brent West, it seems, will go to any lengths to protect his career.
And that includes murder.
A razor-sharp, suspense-filled crime thriller from the million-copy bestseller, perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves and Elly Griffiths.
My Thoughts:
The story begins with the discovery of a woman's body in water under a pier—a "Medusa" with empty eye sockets—on the day after Christmas. Detective Inspector Jan Talantire is handed the case, and because it is holiday time, the station is short handed. The Medusa is wearing a wet suit but has no ID and it takes time to identify her. Also, the autopsy finds that she died of heavy metal poisoning. Was this murder or an accident?Jan is called in to investigate and close out, but as she begins to investigate she starts to uncover a lot of things not adding highly recommended procedural/crime thriller . At the same time Talantire's sexual harassment case against Commander Brent West is on going and she uncovers additional information. She continues to face roadblocks as West's influence is wide spread. She discovers both interesting and tragic facts about the woman, who was a sculptor, and whose estranged son actually worked for the police. This leads Jan to more questions, including a sense that her time is running out, particularly after Nadine goes missing with no trace. The pace is steady but relentless, as each revelation peels back another layer of deceit. The stakes are sky high as it is clear that West will go to any length to protect his career, even murder.
Thanks NetGalley, Canelo and Author Nick Louth for the advanced copy of "The Deep End" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#Canelo
#TheDeepEnd
#NickLouth
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 1, 2025
The Deep End by Nick Louth is a highly recommended procedural/crime thriller and the fourth book in the series set in Devon featuring DI Jan Talantire. Although this could be read as a standalone novel, there is a major part of the plot that is a direct continuation of a story line started earlier in the series. The series includes: The Two Deaths of Ruth Lyle, The Last Ride, and The Dark Edge.
On Boxing Day a body wearing a wet suit is found under Teignmouth Pier. DI Jan Talantire is assigned the case after the post-mortem shows heavy metal poisoning and the investigation quickly becomes complicated. At the same time Talantire's sexual harassment case against Commander Brent West is on going and she uncovers additional information. She continues to face roadblocks as West's influence is wide spread.
As expected, this is a well-written, expertly plotted addition to the series. The complicated investigation and subplots have plenty new discoveries made along the way. It is satisfying that Talantire finally sees vindication this time out, but she also faces a life or death situation. Talantire's character development is well established by this addition to the series. She is portrayed as a tough, intelligent and compelling character with strengths and flaws.
The Deep End will best be appreciated by readers who enjoy procedurals and who have read the previous books in the series. Thanks to Canelo Crime for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/1...
On Boxing Day a body wearing a wet suit is found under Teignmouth Pier. DI Jan Talantire is assigned the case after the post-mortem shows heavy metal poisoning and the investigation quickly becomes complicated. At the same time Talantire's sexual harassment case against Commander Brent West is on going and she uncovers additional information. She continues to face roadblocks as West's influence is wide spread.
As expected, this is a well-written, expertly plotted addition to the series. The complicated investigation and subplots have plenty new discoveries made along the way. It is satisfying that Talantire finally sees vindication this time out, but she also faces a life or death situation. Talantire's character development is well established by this addition to the series. She is portrayed as a tough, intelligent and compelling character with strengths and flaws.
The Deep End will best be appreciated by readers who enjoy procedurals and who have read the previous books in the series. Thanks to Canelo Crime for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/1...
November 10, 2025
Jan’s career is hanging by a thread after the disastrous response to her sexual harassment complaint against universally adored commander Brent West.
Though penalized, Jan knows there has to be someone, amongst all the female police officers Weeks has slept with, who is the person who recanted her testimony against him. Jan begins speaking to all the women she has heard were involved with West, hitting Nos and resistance repeatedly. She’s also super frustrated, as Nadine Lister is now living temporarily with her after her husband kicked her out when Nadine’s involvement with West came to light.
The living arrangement is NOT working out for Jan. Not only is Nadine slovenly, lazy and duplicitous, she is also reluctant to pursue any sort of covert investigation with Jan.
The only bright thing that happens is Jan reconnecting with Adam, with whom she had a few dates in the past.
At the same time, a drowned woman is found. Jan investigates, and though it seems like a suicide, Jan has a funny feeling about this death. She discovers both interesting and tragic facts about the woman, who was a sculptor, and whose estranged son actually worked for the police. This leads Jan to more questions, including a sense that her time is running out, particularly after Nadine goes missing with no trace.
Jan begins planning for a worst case scenario, even though her colleagues don't entirely believe her claims about West's potential for a drastic and violent response to her continued opposition to him.
This was dark and gripping, and I totally enjoyed it. The various plots are complicated, and I liked how author Nick Louth wove them all together, while also giving Jan a little bit of happiness along the way.
Jan also proves to be incredibly tough and resourceful, even while her anger issues and supposed hysterical response to West continue to plague her professionally.
As soon as I finished this, I wanted to get my hands on the next instalment, which proves to me just how much I love Jan and this series.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Canelo for this ARC in exchange for my review
Though penalized, Jan knows there has to be someone, amongst all the female police officers Weeks has slept with, who is the person who recanted her testimony against him. Jan begins speaking to all the women she has heard were involved with West, hitting Nos and resistance repeatedly. She’s also super frustrated, as Nadine Lister is now living temporarily with her after her husband kicked her out when Nadine’s involvement with West came to light.
The living arrangement is NOT working out for Jan. Not only is Nadine slovenly, lazy and duplicitous, she is also reluctant to pursue any sort of covert investigation with Jan.
The only bright thing that happens is Jan reconnecting with Adam, with whom she had a few dates in the past.
At the same time, a drowned woman is found. Jan investigates, and though it seems like a suicide, Jan has a funny feeling about this death. She discovers both interesting and tragic facts about the woman, who was a sculptor, and whose estranged son actually worked for the police. This leads Jan to more questions, including a sense that her time is running out, particularly after Nadine goes missing with no trace.
Jan begins planning for a worst case scenario, even though her colleagues don't entirely believe her claims about West's potential for a drastic and violent response to her continued opposition to him.
This was dark and gripping, and I totally enjoyed it. The various plots are complicated, and I liked how author Nick Louth wove them all together, while also giving Jan a little bit of happiness along the way.
Jan also proves to be incredibly tough and resourceful, even while her anger issues and supposed hysterical response to West continue to plague her professionally.
As soon as I finished this, I wanted to get my hands on the next instalment, which proves to me just how much I love Jan and this series.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Canelo for this ARC in exchange for my review
October 9, 2025
The Deep End is the fourth book in the Jan Talantire series by Nick Louth. This author certainly knows how to write gripping, cleverly plotted police procedurals. This series as well as the DCI Craig Gillard books are very well thought out with strong characters. This latest book in the Jan Talantire series deals with corruption, deceit, and buried secrets. A woman’s body is discovered on Boxing Day washed up beneath Teignmouth Pier, no identification, just a wetsuit and a troubling autopsy result revealing heavy metal poisoning. DI Jan Talantire faces dangerous troubles both professionally and personally.
The deeper Talantire digs, the deeper, she finds herself navigating more than just a suspicious death. She is in dangerous waters as her career is in jeopardy after a failed complaint against her abusive superior, Commander Brent West. The longer the book went on, the more I was gripped and I found the second half of the story riveting as Talantire not only fights for her career but also for her life.
The pace is steady but relentless, as each revelation peels back another layer of deceit. The stakes are sky high as it is clear that West will go to any length to protect his career, even murder.
Jan Talantire is a fascinating character, flawed, yet resilient and she is also committed to protect her name.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Canelo for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The deeper Talantire digs, the deeper, she finds herself navigating more than just a suspicious death. She is in dangerous waters as her career is in jeopardy after a failed complaint against her abusive superior, Commander Brent West. The longer the book went on, the more I was gripped and I found the second half of the story riveting as Talantire not only fights for her career but also for her life.
The pace is steady but relentless, as each revelation peels back another layer of deceit. The stakes are sky high as it is clear that West will go to any length to protect his career, even murder.
Jan Talantire is a fascinating character, flawed, yet resilient and she is also committed to protect her name.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Canelo for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2025
DI Jan Talantire is working over Christmas. When a call comes in on Boxing Day that a body has been found under the pier Jan goes to investigate. The victim seems determined to remain anonymous. When it is discovered that she has a high level of heavy metals in her system it definitely seems like this is not misadventure!
Along with investigating this death, Jan is mired in the consequences of her allegation of serious abuse against the golden boy, Commander Brent West. Having been accused of colluding with another of his victims, Nadine, Jan finds herself having a house guest as Nadine's husband has thrown her out.
This was a complex story with many twists. Unfortunately I missed out on Book 3 in this series. (I loved 1 & 2 ) However it didn't really spoil my enjoyment of the story. I like Jan and her team and look forward to the next in the series.
There is just one thing that irritates me with this book and that is the author's insistence on calling characters by their surnames- particularly Jan! Even when other members of the team sometimes get called by their first names she is still Talantire. It shouldn't matter I know but just having a surname makes it harder to establish the person's gender and remember who they are!
That's just a small niggle at an enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- I hope there won't be too long to wait until the next one!
Along with investigating this death, Jan is mired in the consequences of her allegation of serious abuse against the golden boy, Commander Brent West. Having been accused of colluding with another of his victims, Nadine, Jan finds herself having a house guest as Nadine's husband has thrown her out.
This was a complex story with many twists. Unfortunately I missed out on Book 3 in this series. (I loved 1 & 2 ) However it didn't really spoil my enjoyment of the story. I like Jan and her team and look forward to the next in the series.
There is just one thing that irritates me with this book and that is the author's insistence on calling characters by their surnames- particularly Jan! Even when other members of the team sometimes get called by their first names she is still Talantire. It shouldn't matter I know but just having a surname makes it harder to establish the person's gender and remember who they are!
That's just a small niggle at an enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- I hope there won't be too long to wait until the next one!
November 10, 2025
Book 4 in the Detective Jan Talantire series and there is a lot going on!
Jan is still trying to seek justice against Commander Brent West, her former boss and lover, but is hitting brick walls at every turn, Another complainant, PC Nadine Lister, is temporarily staying with Jan, having escaped her abusive husband, which is adding to Jan's personal stress and alarm bells are ringing over several elements of Nadine's behaviour. On the professional front, a woman's body washes up on Boxing Day, apparently suicide, but Jan senses there is more to it than meets the eye.
Jan is a great character; she has so much resilience and a real dedication to seeking justice. In this book, I felt I got to know her more vulnerable side underneath her gritty exterior and my admiration for her grew in abundance. The plot is fantastic; so many layers to peel away until everything came together brilliantly, after some highly tense moments and some shocking twists. There is closure to one long-running element to Jan's story and I'm intrigued to follow Jan in the next instalment, as there was a lot revealed in this book that may change the way she is perceived by some of her colleagues and some new relationships forged which will cross over into both her personal and professional life.
5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Nick Louth and Canelo for an ARC of this book.
Jan is still trying to seek justice against Commander Brent West, her former boss and lover, but is hitting brick walls at every turn, Another complainant, PC Nadine Lister, is temporarily staying with Jan, having escaped her abusive husband, which is adding to Jan's personal stress and alarm bells are ringing over several elements of Nadine's behaviour. On the professional front, a woman's body washes up on Boxing Day, apparently suicide, but Jan senses there is more to it than meets the eye.
Jan is a great character; she has so much resilience and a real dedication to seeking justice. In this book, I felt I got to know her more vulnerable side underneath her gritty exterior and my admiration for her grew in abundance. The plot is fantastic; so many layers to peel away until everything came together brilliantly, after some highly tense moments and some shocking twists. There is closure to one long-running element to Jan's story and I'm intrigued to follow Jan in the next instalment, as there was a lot revealed in this book that may change the way she is perceived by some of her colleagues and some new relationships forged which will cross over into both her personal and professional life.
5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Nick Louth and Canelo for an ARC of this book.
October 20, 2025
Having agreed to work over Christmas DI Jan Talantire is on hand when a body is found early on Boxing Day morning. As the cause of death creates more questions than answers her new year starts off with a complicated case she begins to work on alongside her crusade to finally get her nemesis, Commander Brent West, charged for the crimes she knows he's committed. He is as clever as he is devious however, and each step she takes towards her goal increases the danger she faces.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Canelo, but the opinions expressed are my own. It's difficult to comment without spoilers so I will instead say this is Nick Louth at his impressive best and is also a very tense but satisfying read. There are spoilers contained here and the four books do run on from each other so it's probably best to read them in order. Recommended.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Canelo, but the opinions expressed are my own. It's difficult to comment without spoilers so I will instead say this is Nick Louth at his impressive best and is also a very tense but satisfying read. There are spoilers contained here and the four books do run on from each other so it's probably best to read them in order. Recommended.
December 31, 2025
I am a dedicated fan of Nick Louth and have read all of the author's books, including the DI Talantire series. While I appreciate Nick Louth's writing style and find the police procedural elements believable and engaging, I can express disappointment with The Deep End. The main criticism centres on the book’s focus: I did not enjoy the storyline involving Jan Talantire’s investigation into Commander Brent West, preferring more traditional crime and villain-chasing plots. I also disliked the portrayal of Jan Talantire, who is depicted as consistently doubted and downtrodden by her superiors and colleagues, with few positive moments until the end. Despite these criticisms, I enjoyed the ending and remain committed to reading future books by Nick Louth.
October 26, 2025
This is book four in the well written series featuring DI Jan Talantire. Set in the south of England, it is one of my favourite crime fiction series, with it's consistently good plotting and characterisation. Talantire is an interesting character and I like how she is developing in this latest read. The pacing is steady throughout but really picked up in the second half as Talantire fights for survival. I recommend reading the whole series for background information, although this can be read as a stand alone. I look forward to reading more of this series and I hope we don't have too long to wait. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
November 8, 2025
This is book 4 in the DI Jan Talantire series set in Devon. Jan is called to scene where a body has been found under the pier. Who is it? What happened to them? This investigation will take Jan, DS Maddy Moran and DC Dave Nutall After the post mortem, the unknown victim is found to have heavy metal poisoning and this leaves the team baffled until they investigate more. Meanwhile, in Jan's personal life, she is trying to win a battle with her old nemesis, Commander Brent West with little or no help from other victims. It was engrossing, full of fast paced action, twists and turns, and unputdownable. All the strands came together to an unexpected conclusion.
November 21, 2025
What a great conclusion to this series as justice is finally done for Jan. This is the 4th book in the series and it would be more beneficial to read the previous 3 before reading this one to give you context.
I liked the way this book mixed between the death and then how it all unravelled./connected into Jan's quest to get Brent West. It is very well told and keeps you gripped as you read through it. The characters are ones you can definitely get into, especially the main players.
Definitely a book to recommend... and the previous 3 too!
I liked the way this book mixed between the death and then how it all unravelled./connected into Jan's quest to get Brent West. It is very well told and keeps you gripped as you read through it. The characters are ones you can definitely get into, especially the main players.
Definitely a book to recommend... and the previous 3 too!
October 23, 2025
Another exciting read from Nick Louth. This is the fourth book in the series set in Devon featuring DI Jan Talantire and the series just gets better and better. This is an extremely fast paced and gripping read. In this book, it is all the more personal for Jan as she continues her campaign against Brent West. Looking forward to continuing with this series in the future.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
October 11, 2025
3.5 ⭐
I've recently discovered Talantire on audio from my library, so was pleased to come across book 4 .
I'll admit I've yet to read book 3, but that's made no difference to my enjoyment of this one.
This is a whole lot more personal than the other books, as Jan ramps up her plot to get West taken down.
It gets quite frantic at times, a lot going on, but the fast pace and tension just made me want to know more, know how was this all going to play out.
I was very satisfied by the end, and look forward to seeing where this series goes next.
Thanks to netgalley for the free advance read
I've recently discovered Talantire on audio from my library, so was pleased to come across book 4 .
I'll admit I've yet to read book 3, but that's made no difference to my enjoyment of this one.
This is a whole lot more personal than the other books, as Jan ramps up her plot to get West taken down.
It gets quite frantic at times, a lot going on, but the fast pace and tension just made me want to know more, know how was this all going to play out.
I was very satisfied by the end, and look forward to seeing where this series goes next.
Thanks to netgalley for the free advance read
October 27, 2025
Another great episode for Talantire. This is a cracking series and in this book we get closure on a main thread. I love Nick’s books, I have read them all. Believable characters, realistic situations and lovely interactions between the team.
November 22, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read the next instalment of Jan’s story. I have enjoyed each one and can’t wait for the next one to come out.
December 10, 2025
excellent
Good story, well written. Talantire is a great character, and I have really enjoyed this series! This book was full of suspense but I expected the ending.
Good story, well written. Talantire is a great character, and I have really enjoyed this series! This book was full of suspense but I expected the ending.
November 13, 2025
When the body of a woman is found under a pier on Boxing Day, DI Jan Talantire is called in. It is not long before she realises that there is more to this case than meets the eye and that there may be some officers determined to hamper the investigation at every step. Jan also has other things on her mind, determined to bring down Commander Brent West after her complaint against him amounted to nothing. Could the body of the woman be connected to her superior officer in some way? Jan must play a very dangerous game to find out.
I have really enjoyed this series so far (this is book 4) and have grown to like and respect Jan as a character, admiring her tenacity and determination to bring West to justice. Brent West is a fascinating character, a villain hiding in plain sight who seemingly has women falling at his feet and men wanting to be like him. He is not your typical ‘baddie’ and that, I think, is what makes him so odious!
What starts as a standard police procedural soon turns into a fast-paced, dark thriller which went to places that I never expected! I was truly gripped as Jan begins to realise just how much danger she is in, not knowing who, if anyone, she can trust. This is one of those books that has so much going on, you don’t want to put it down!
I am intrigued to see where Nick Louth takes Jan next and look forward to the next instalment.
I have really enjoyed this series so far (this is book 4) and have grown to like and respect Jan as a character, admiring her tenacity and determination to bring West to justice. Brent West is a fascinating character, a villain hiding in plain sight who seemingly has women falling at his feet and men wanting to be like him. He is not your typical ‘baddie’ and that, I think, is what makes him so odious!
What starts as a standard police procedural soon turns into a fast-paced, dark thriller which went to places that I never expected! I was truly gripped as Jan begins to realise just how much danger she is in, not knowing who, if anyone, she can trust. This is one of those books that has so much going on, you don’t want to put it down!
I am intrigued to see where Nick Louth takes Jan next and look forward to the next instalment.
November 6, 2025
I have read a few books by this author but none in this particular series. This book can be read as a stand alone. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. A captivating story with a number of threads woven cleverly together. I would highly recommend this book and will certainly be reading the previous books in the series and keep a look out for the next one.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews