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DI Nick Dixon #1
As The Crow Flies
Rock climbing is now a blood sport.
Detective Inspector Nick Dixon's former climbing partner, Jake Fayter, is dead. Killed in a fall whilst practising a new route on High Rock, Cheddar Gorge. Convinced that Jake would not have made such a simple mistake, Nick Dixon starts digging and uncovers a web of intrigue and criminal activity that will rock the sleepy seaside town of Burnham-on-Sea to its core.
As the body count rises, Dixon is forced to break every rule in the book and put his own life on the line to bring the killer out into the open.
A fast paced crime thriller that will leave you gasping for breath, As The Crow Flies is a spine tingling introduction for DI Nick Dixon and a spectacular debut novel from crime fiction writer, Damien Boyd.
Detective Inspector Nick Dixon's former climbing partner, Jake Fayter, is dead. Killed in a fall whilst practising a new route on High Rock, Cheddar Gorge. Convinced that Jake would not have made such a simple mistake, Nick Dixon starts digging and uncovers a web of intrigue and criminal activity that will rock the sleepy seaside town of Burnham-on-Sea to its core.
As the body count rises, Dixon is forced to break every rule in the book and put his own life on the line to bring the killer out into the open.
A fast paced crime thriller that will leave you gasping for breath, As The Crow Flies is a spine tingling introduction for DI Nick Dixon and a spectacular debut novel from crime fiction writer, Damien Boyd.
173 pages, ebook
First published April 9, 2013
4152 people are currently reading
6290 people want to read
About the author
Damien Boyd
21 books951 followersDamien Boyd is a former solicitor turned crime fiction writer.
Drawing on extensive experience of criminal law as well as a spell in the Crown Prosecution Service, Damien writes fast paced crime novels featuring Detective Inspector Nick Dixon.
Damien is published by Thomas & Mercer.
Drawing on extensive experience of criminal law as well as a spell in the Crown Prosecution Service, Damien writes fast paced crime novels featuring Detective Inspector Nick Dixon.
Damien is published by Thomas & Mercer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,100 reviews
March 11, 2020
An easy, quick read, As The Crow Flies is the first in the DI Nick Dixon series. Nick is called in to investigate when his former climbing partner falls to his death from a cliff. Certain that the man's equipment would never had failed him, Nick senses it to be murder, but who would kill Jake? As Nick investigates he finds many secrets coming to light, surprising him, and realises there is more to his friend's death than he'd ever have thought.
I found this book to be quite enjoyable, well plotted, and the author clearly had a lot of knowledge of his subject. It was quite short, and possibly could have been fleshed out a bit more, but was a decent read all the same. A good read for a rainy day.
I found this book to be quite enjoyable, well plotted, and the author clearly had a lot of knowledge of his subject. It was quite short, and possibly could have been fleshed out a bit more, but was a decent read all the same. A good read for a rainy day.
February 25, 2016
This is the tale of a climber, but it has no real climax. In truth, it was a yawn.
Completely average, in my view. How generic crime books like this make it to the top of the charts and net a lot of five-star reviews is beyond me. Nothing in there at all to get my pulse racing or to pull me in emotionally. A climber falls off a rock face and plummets to his death. Was it an accident or an act of murder? I neither knew nor cared to be honest, but DI Nick Dixon takes all book to answer that question. There was a so-called twist at the end. I wouldn't describe it as such at all. It was weak.
Here's the real question: was a bloke coming off a rock a strong enough premise for a thriller? I didn't think so. Because I read the book on holiday round the pool, I persevered to the end. At home, I'd have ditched it as a dull read. Poor character development in my opinion. Not an exciting ending even. Fortunately, like the climber's death, it was over with quite quickly. There was the hint of a love interest which went nowhere. I'm sure Damien Boyd is saving that for subsequent books, but he's lost me at the first hurdle. A man's book really. Nothing in there to entertain me at all. I couldn't tell you what Nick Dixon looked like. If Boyd described him it escaped my attention. I'll have forgotten the entire plot by tomorrow.
Completely average, in my view. How generic crime books like this make it to the top of the charts and net a lot of five-star reviews is beyond me. Nothing in there at all to get my pulse racing or to pull me in emotionally. A climber falls off a rock face and plummets to his death. Was it an accident or an act of murder? I neither knew nor cared to be honest, but DI Nick Dixon takes all book to answer that question. There was a so-called twist at the end. I wouldn't describe it as such at all. It was weak.
Here's the real question: was a bloke coming off a rock a strong enough premise for a thriller? I didn't think so. Because I read the book on holiday round the pool, I persevered to the end. At home, I'd have ditched it as a dull read. Poor character development in my opinion. Not an exciting ending even. Fortunately, like the climber's death, it was over with quite quickly. There was the hint of a love interest which went nowhere. I'm sure Damien Boyd is saving that for subsequent books, but he's lost me at the first hurdle. A man's book really. Nothing in there to entertain me at all. I couldn't tell you what Nick Dixon looked like. If Boyd described him it escaped my attention. I'll have forgotten the entire plot by tomorrow.
April 25, 2013
Okay, I’m now a Damien Boyd fan. I wasn't really sure what to expect with Damien’s book “As the Crow Flies.” I knew I loved the cover depicting crows flying about an early morning or late evening sky, with a rock climber cantilevered obviously very high up from the edge of a rock. I believe I've dreamt of that rock, and it wasn't a good dream either.
It didn't take long for me to “get into” the fast paced page turning story of a police investigator who is investigating the death, by falling, naturally, off that rock, of his old rock climbing partner. Nick, the cop, is investigating Jake’s (the fallen climber’s) accidental death where his rope came undone on a dangerous section of the climb.
Seems the knot holding the chap to the wall had come loose. Bummer. Nick is not buying the accidental theory. Says the inspector: “It’s not a mistake Jake would make… We've always used to use a reef knot with a half hitch either side.”
It’s a beautiful but serious police procedural story in the British style that Damien is offering us, and one I will keep recommending every chance I get. It’s not to be missed so I’m giving it the highest marks possible.
Denniger
It didn't take long for me to “get into” the fast paced page turning story of a police investigator who is investigating the death, by falling, naturally, off that rock, of his old rock climbing partner. Nick, the cop, is investigating Jake’s (the fallen climber’s) accidental death where his rope came undone on a dangerous section of the climb.
Seems the knot holding the chap to the wall had come loose. Bummer. Nick is not buying the accidental theory. Says the inspector: “It’s not a mistake Jake would make… We've always used to use a reef knot with a half hitch either side.”
It’s a beautiful but serious police procedural story in the British style that Damien is offering us, and one I will keep recommending every chance I get. It’s not to be missed so I’m giving it the highest marks possible.
Denniger
October 6, 2020
This was not a bad read but there was nothing that stood out either.
April 10, 2014
As the Crow Flies is the selection for the Kindle English Mystery Club on Goodreads for the month of April. This is the first book in which we meet DI Dixon. DI Dixon has relocated from a more prestigious posting to a small outpost, much to the dismay of his family and the confusion of his new colleagues. DI Dixon is a former rock climber and rock climbing is the back drop for this thriller.
Dixon is called to investigate a death of a former rock climbing partner, Jake, by Jake’s parents. The opening scene of the book is actually Jake’s death in a tremendous fall. The first few paragraphs worried me a little because of all the climbing jargon. I wondered if I would be able to read it, but it was pretty easy to catch on to and the pace of the book swept me along.
The mystery takes a few twists and turns and several probable theories of the crime are put forth. Dixon is an intelligent sleuth, who manages to be smarter than most of those around him but does not come across as arrogant about it. As a reader, I can understand his family’s dismay at his apparently throwing away his shot at a more promising career for life in “the slow lane”. On the way to solving the main mystery, Jake’s death, there are other cases that may or may not be connected and that Dixon tackles proving his worth as a sleuth.
Very fast paced mystery making for a quick read. It definitely kept me turning the pages. My only critique is that the book is too short, I got to the end too quickly. However, better a little short than stuffed with unneeded filler.
Dixon is called to investigate a death of a former rock climbing partner, Jake, by Jake’s parents. The opening scene of the book is actually Jake’s death in a tremendous fall. The first few paragraphs worried me a little because of all the climbing jargon. I wondered if I would be able to read it, but it was pretty easy to catch on to and the pace of the book swept me along.
The mystery takes a few twists and turns and several probable theories of the crime are put forth. Dixon is an intelligent sleuth, who manages to be smarter than most of those around him but does not come across as arrogant about it. As a reader, I can understand his family’s dismay at his apparently throwing away his shot at a more promising career for life in “the slow lane”. On the way to solving the main mystery, Jake’s death, there are other cases that may or may not be connected and that Dixon tackles proving his worth as a sleuth.
Very fast paced mystery making for a quick read. It definitely kept me turning the pages. My only critique is that the book is too short, I got to the end too quickly. However, better a little short than stuffed with unneeded filler.
February 14, 2015
As the Crow Flies (DI Nick Dixon #1) by. Damien Boyd is a first reads win and I'm giving my honest opinion. Inspector Dixon was good friends with Jake Flatey - was it an accident or murder that led to his death? Meanwhile, the station is investigating a series of burglaries in homes where the owners recently passed away. The only thing missing is personal papers, birth certificates, driver's licenses, death notices, things used for identity theft. Jake's father calls Nick Dixon to tell him of Jake's death and if he could look into it. Dixon discovers Jake was selling drugs and a young girl died ; and Jake was stealing peregrine falcon eggs. illegal worth 10,000 pounds per egg in Dubai. Jake's new climbing partner was the contact with the Arabs over the eggs. Dixon finds an other couple who were climbing. They saw the accident and thought they saw someone running through the trees. Was it an accident or murder? Read for yourself to discover the truth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2025
Labeled as the first novel of Detective Nick Dixon series, this was a very short read at 160 pages, following Dixon as he looks into the death of his friend in a climbing accident.
This all felt too quick for me and left not much of a buildup at all. It was quickly paced but didn’t pack the punch, I was looking for in this novel.
Overall, it was OK for what it was, but not too sure I’ll be revisiting this series in future. 3⭐️
This all felt too quick for me and left not much of a buildup at all. It was quickly paced but didn’t pack the punch, I was looking for in this novel.
Overall, it was OK for what it was, but not too sure I’ll be revisiting this series in future. 3⭐️
July 21, 2017
Well, at least it's only 150 pages.
Written by a former solicitor turned crown prosecutor, our protagonist Nick Dixon is a former solicitor turned cop, and he's awesome at both. He's fast-tracked up the police ranks and can insist on transferring wherever he likes. He's naturally awesome at climbing, watching movies, and being singularly unpleasant to his coworkers and acquaintances. He has one friend, who dies, so that Dixon has something to do in his off-hours.
So that we know Dixon has a softer side, he adopts an 8-month-old Staffordshire terrier, a dog who can mysteriously be left alone all day with no wee breaks and, when Dixon needs to brood (spoiler: that's often, as being a dick to everyone takes its toll) said puppy has no problem skipping a walk or playtime and just lying quietly at Dixon's side. In one instance during summer the puppy is fine being locked in the car for hours at a time. Sadly, the same cannot be said for Dixon, although I would be willing to see him locked in the trunk of a car for hours at a time.
The writing is pedestrian, notable mainly for the least suspenseful burglary raid in the history of burglary raids, and the dialogue is DOA. It consists only of what is said -- not how it's said or by whom. This means you have long pages of sentences in quotes with no indication of voice changes, subtle laughter, changes in intonation or body language.
The climbing is, however, accurate as heck. Hence one whole star.
Written by a former solicitor turned crown prosecutor, our protagonist Nick Dixon is a former solicitor turned cop, and he's awesome at both. He's fast-tracked up the police ranks and can insist on transferring wherever he likes. He's naturally awesome at climbing, watching movies, and being singularly unpleasant to his coworkers and acquaintances. He has one friend, who dies, so that Dixon has something to do in his off-hours.
So that we know Dixon has a softer side, he adopts an 8-month-old Staffordshire terrier, a dog who can mysteriously be left alone all day with no wee breaks and, when Dixon needs to brood (spoiler: that's often, as being a dick to everyone takes its toll) said puppy has no problem skipping a walk or playtime and just lying quietly at Dixon's side. In one instance during summer the puppy is fine being locked in the car for hours at a time. Sadly, the same cannot be said for Dixon, although I would be willing to see him locked in the trunk of a car for hours at a time.
The writing is pedestrian, notable mainly for the least suspenseful burglary raid in the history of burglary raids, and the dialogue is DOA. It consists only of what is said -- not how it's said or by whom. This means you have long pages of sentences in quotes with no indication of voice changes, subtle laughter, changes in intonation or body language.
The climbing is, however, accurate as heck. Hence one whole star.
August 23, 2017
Seria o komisarzu Nicku Dixonie rozpoczyna się nader obiecująco i z pewnością miłośnicy powieści kryminalnych odnajdą w „W linii prostej” coś dla siebie. Co prawda element wspinaczkowy może z początku sprawiać niemałe trudności – nie przez przypadek autor dodał słowniczek na końcu książki – jednak interesująca zbrodnia rekompensuje jakiekolwiek bolączki niewiedzy. Co więcej, głównego bohatera nie sposób nie polubić, a okolica, w której przyszło mu pracować tylko nadaje całości pięknej, a jednocześnie złowróżbnej atmosfery. Odnajdziemy tu klimat brytyjskiej prowincji, malowniczej nadmorskiej okolicy, ale także tajemnic, które ukrywają się na każdym kroku. Damien Boyd umiejętnie łączy kolejne wątki, podrzuca fałszywe tropy, sprowadza czytelnika na manowce. A to w kryminale jest przecież najistotniejsze.
Dla fanów gatunku jak znalazł.
Dla fanów gatunku jak znalazł.
July 30, 2021
Nope.
Unless you want to immediately know all the technical terminology for climbing equipment.
Unless you want to immediately know all the technical terminology for climbing equipment.
February 24, 2019
I really enjoyed listening to this. Definitely one I recommend if you enjoy crime novels. It's quite short, so a quick and easy read.
I borrowed this in audiobook format through Amazon Kindle Unlimited.
I borrowed this in audiobook format through Amazon Kindle Unlimited.
October 25, 2016
I didn’t expect much from this book, being almost a freebie. I was wrong. “As the crow flies” is a promising first installment for Detective Inspector Nick Dixon’s series. It is worth a read. It keeps you interested with an acceptable definition of characters and an increasing interesting plot. During the first pages I thought this was going to be more about technical climbing, but then it developed into a not to be discarded decent mystery. Not an unforgettable one, mind you, the writer can do it much better, and I hope he will do in his new novels. But, as I said before, being his first one, and at a really bargain price, I was more than satisfied with it.
October 18, 2017
Experienced climber falls to his death due to a rookie mistake and the parents ask Detective Inspector Nick Dixon, a friend of the victim who is an ex-climber to keep an eye on the investigation so that no stone is left unturned. The officer investigating the accident is made to look like an idiot, bumbling his way through and opening the door for Nick to insert himself into the investigation.
A lot of technical jargon kept knocking me out of the story. I kept looking for footnotes or anything that would help decipher what I was reading, but I was left wanting. Was I really expected to know this or to research this while in the middle of a story? Apparently. I did what any reasonable reader would do, I ignored it. Climbers would probably find this riveting and breeze through this stuff.
Other than the climber-speak that went unexplained the only other thing that was memorable was the fact that Peregrine falcons made an appearance in this story.
"Um, why is that memorable Vic?"
Glad you asked. This book came on the heels of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. That's pretty much what I remember off the top of my head. Onto my notes...
There was a point that it started to get good but didn't quite make it. I won't mention the page so you don't expect it if you decide to read this.
As far as the mystery, there really wasn't one. I guessed who the villain was early on. This is an easy read. Not very layered with sub-plots but what do you expect from 178 pages? You can easily read this in one sitting. Flows easily and dialogue that makes sense.
I might give the series another shot with book #2. We'll see.
A lot of technical jargon kept knocking me out of the story. I kept looking for footnotes or anything that would help decipher what I was reading, but I was left wanting. Was I really expected to know this or to research this while in the middle of a story? Apparently. I did what any reasonable reader would do, I ignored it. Climbers would probably find this riveting and breeze through this stuff.
Other than the climber-speak that went unexplained the only other thing that was memorable was the fact that Peregrine falcons made an appearance in this story.
"Um, why is that memorable Vic?"
Glad you asked. This book came on the heels of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. That's pretty much what I remember off the top of my head. Onto my notes...
There was a point that it started to get good but didn't quite make it. I won't mention the page so you don't expect it if you decide to read this.
As far as the mystery, there really wasn't one. I guessed who the villain was early on. This is an easy read. Not very layered with sub-plots but what do you expect from 178 pages? You can easily read this in one sitting. Flows easily and dialogue that makes sense.
I might give the series another shot with book #2. We'll see.
March 19, 2014
So close to four stars but there were a few niggles that made me hesitate. I couldn't get a 'grip' on Dixon, he never came 'alive' in my mind, (I couldn't work out how old he was for example). One or two moments didn't ring true, (like keeping his only suit packed in a suitcase for two months) but the actual plot was intriguing. I know nothing about rock climbing and there were a lot of technical details but not so overly technical that I lost interest. The ending was totally unexpected and yet believable and in some ways, very satisfying.
Oh dammit. My conscience is nagging me! Four stars then. after all, it's a book I will re-read and enjoy a second time. I will also definitely get more of this series. ;)
Oh dammit. My conscience is nagging me! Four stars then. after all, it's a book I will re-read and enjoy a second time. I will also definitely get more of this series. ;)
September 20, 2014
This was only a short book, 200 pages compared to the much longer ones that I have been reading recently but this was a conscious decision to get through some of the books on my "reading" list.
Being so short it was obvious that the story was going to get straight to the point and not digress. There was a build up to the story but this was quite concise.
Overall I enjoyed the book and it was a really quick read. Perfect if that's what you want but with the lack of pages, there wasn't the character build up and "world build" that I am used to. Perhaps this is just because I have been reading a lot of fantasy recently.
Being so short it was obvious that the story was going to get straight to the point and not digress. There was a build up to the story but this was quite concise.
Overall I enjoyed the book and it was a really quick read. Perfect if that's what you want but with the lack of pages, there wasn't the character build up and "world build" that I am used to. Perhaps this is just because I have been reading a lot of fantasy recently.
December 30, 2018
This first entry in the DI Nick Dixon series was not outstanding in any way, yet highly readable and did everything decently: writing, plot, character development, whodunit, resolution. Nothing ornate, nothing floral or deep. I was unsurprised to learn that Boyd is a lawyer/solicitor.
What I enjoyed most was that it's fast-paced and its locale and scenery. I'd rate it in the high 3s. A very quick read, whose climax and resolution literally transpired on the last few pages. I enjoyed it but had the ending not been so decent I wouldn't have been keen on continuing the series (though I still would've). I'll gladly see this one through for sure (especially given I found each novel for $0.99 on a Kindle deal of the day).
If you're not a diehard crime novel reader, I'd probably pass on this, but for those of us who love this genre, it's definitely worthy of your time. I'm not a very fast reader and I finished it in about three and a half hours, I believe.
What I enjoyed most was that it's fast-paced and its locale and scenery. I'd rate it in the high 3s. A very quick read, whose climax and resolution literally transpired on the last few pages. I enjoyed it but had the ending not been so decent I wouldn't have been keen on continuing the series (though I still would've). I'll gladly see this one through for sure (especially given I found each novel for $0.99 on a Kindle deal of the day).
If you're not a diehard crime novel reader, I'd probably pass on this, but for those of us who love this genre, it's definitely worthy of your time. I'm not a very fast reader and I finished it in about three and a half hours, I believe.
July 1, 2017
Something made me buy this whole series (6 books at this point) back in November, which means it must've been a helluva good review by someone whose opinion I trust, given how many books were on my OBNRY list, and there are even more now. The first 5 were only about $1 each - that's always the dilemma: do I buy them while they're cheap, knowing that if I like the first one I'll be annoyed if I have to pay more later? In this case, it paid off as I enjoyed this and liked the hero enough to want to carry on.
Nick Dixon has returned to his Somerset hometown after training as a solicitor then becoming a police officer in London, much to the disgust of his parents. He lives alone with his white staffie Monty, likes walking on the beach, beer, and watching the same movies over and over. When his former rock climbing partner dies after his rope inexplicably gives way, Nick knows it can't have been an accident and delves into his friends' life.
This was a straightforward police procedural, pretty good for a first novel. I guessed who the bad guy was quite early, but I read a lot of this kind of book so don't mind that. There was a lot about rock climbing, which I'm not interested in, but it didn't get in the way of the plot. I didn't get much of a sense of Dixon's personality - we are told he experienced some resentment from colleagues for being appointed Detective Inspector directly, but he seems to be good at his job, taking a few risks without overt recklessness. He's maybe a bit up himself, pulling rank on one colleague and asking another out, but he loves his dog so must be a nice guy.
Nick Dixon has returned to his Somerset hometown after training as a solicitor then becoming a police officer in London, much to the disgust of his parents. He lives alone with his white staffie Monty, likes walking on the beach, beer, and watching the same movies over and over. When his former rock climbing partner dies after his rope inexplicably gives way, Nick knows it can't have been an accident and delves into his friends' life.
This was a straightforward police procedural, pretty good for a first novel. I guessed who the bad guy was quite early, but I read a lot of this kind of book so don't mind that. There was a lot about rock climbing, which I'm not interested in, but it didn't get in the way of the plot. I didn't get much of a sense of Dixon's personality - we are told he experienced some resentment from colleagues for being appointed Detective Inspector directly, but he seems to be good at his job, taking a few risks without overt recklessness. He's maybe a bit up himself, pulling rank on one colleague and asking another out, but he loves his dog so must be a nice guy.
April 9, 2025
This is an excellent debut novel with a credible investigation team led up by DI Nick Dixon.
It is the best tension packed climbing scenes since The Eiger Sanction and a real crime mystery that has a few twists and belays before the "murder" is solved.
Great locations and passionate writing from an author who has realised his dream of putting his ideas in book form. I think it has enough promise to invest in other books already produced in this series. I liked the no nonsense investigation, the clarity of the story line and the brief insight into the world of climbing. I appreciated the relationships explored through grief, loss and betrayal of our impression of friends, family and colleagues.
I loved the potential back stories to mine in future novels and I thought the passages with Monty were excellent and refreshing to allow processing of the more detailed plot driven text.
A book worth reading and author worthy of your attention and time.
It is the best tension packed climbing scenes since The Eiger Sanction and a real crime mystery that has a few twists and belays before the "murder" is solved.
Great locations and passionate writing from an author who has realised his dream of putting his ideas in book form. I think it has enough promise to invest in other books already produced in this series. I liked the no nonsense investigation, the clarity of the story line and the brief insight into the world of climbing. I appreciated the relationships explored through grief, loss and betrayal of our impression of friends, family and colleagues.
I loved the potential back stories to mine in future novels and I thought the passages with Monty were excellent and refreshing to allow processing of the more detailed plot driven text.
A book worth reading and author worthy of your attention and time.
April 9, 2014
A reasonable non-taxing read. My only criticism was the author's need to flaunt his knowledge of rock climbing terms to point of sheer frustration. Once that was out of the way, I quite enjoyed the book although the final explanation did not really ring true.
May 11, 2020
The weakest of what is otherwise a very readable run of the mill procedural series.
August 18, 2023
Interesting, although it did not seem fully fleshed out and this detective should not try to date his subordinate. I enjoyed the rock climbing background.
June 6, 2018
2.25 stars.
Trish recommended this series to me since I've enjoyed the DCI Ryan series thus far. What I can say is this: the plot was interesting and the characters were likable enough, but the overall story was a bit bland. I think it's the author's writing style that makes the whole book a bit monotone. There's a lot of dialogue and very little descriptive language in between. There was also a lot about rock climbing and for someone who has no idea about any of that, it was a bit boring. From what I understand, this is the author's first book, so I will read the second book of the series and hope for the best.
I do have to say that I really did like the H of this series. He might be a little bit dull, but he just comes across as a good guy. He moved out of the city because he liked the country and not because of any traumatic event. He drinks beer after work and likes to take walks with his dog. He has a dry sense of humour and is just really sweet. I'll admit that I'm reading the second book to see where the relationship between him and Jane goes. :)
Trish recommended this series to me since I've enjoyed the DCI Ryan series thus far. What I can say is this: the plot was interesting and the characters were likable enough, but the overall story was a bit bland. I think it's the author's writing style that makes the whole book a bit monotone. There's a lot of dialogue and very little descriptive language in between. There was also a lot about rock climbing and for someone who has no idea about any of that, it was a bit boring. From what I understand, this is the author's first book, so I will read the second book of the series and hope for the best.
I do have to say that I really did like the H of this series. He might be a little bit dull, but he just comes across as a good guy. He moved out of the city because he liked the country and not because of any traumatic event. He drinks beer after work and likes to take walks with his dog. He has a dry sense of humour and is just really sweet. I'll admit that I'm reading the second book to see where the relationship between him and Jane goes. :)
February 21, 2017
I admit this took me by surprise. I expected a geographically interesting mystery and got a ripping good yarn with a great geographic context. I liked the English rock- climbing setting and the unravelling of the mystery. Detective Dixon is smart, polite, reasoned and strong - with a dash of instinct. The writing is engaging and competent, driving the story along smoothly while laying hooks for the future. A series to follow - wahoo!
May 25, 2021
I found this, the first in the series, to be quite readable. Set in the southwest of England we find DI Nick Dixon returned to his home area from the Metropolitan Police in London. His former climbing friend is found dead at the foot of rocks at Cheddar Gorge. Good character despite him being a little abrupt with PC's not under his direct control. One or two loose ends such as the mysterious character running away from the top of the cliff might be tightened up in follow-on stories. It could have been a little more atmospheric about this area of the country and its quite diverse land features from the gorge to the levels.
Good enough for a 3-star start.
Good enough for a 3-star start.
October 1, 2023
A climber is killed in a fall but DI Nick Dixon - the man's former climbing partner - doesn't believe it can have been an accident.
This is a well-written and crisply plotted police procedural with a good few red herrings along the way. The technical climbing jargon is a bit off-putting, especially right at the start, and I'd twigged the identity of the killer a way before the end. These quibbles aside, an enjoyable, quick read.
This is a well-written and crisply plotted police procedural with a good few red herrings along the way. The technical climbing jargon is a bit off-putting, especially right at the start, and I'd twigged the identity of the killer a way before the end. These quibbles aside, an enjoyable, quick read.
February 19, 2021
A fast paced and easy read. It's certainly not going to challenge you, but it's a good book to lose yourself in. I enjoyed the climbing references given the fact I climb myself - this was why I looked at the book in the first place. The characters are a little one dimensionial, but not unlikeable. An average read but a page turner nonetheless.
September 15, 2021
Nice plot and characters but I would have appreciated more action. I will try the other books in this series.
January 1, 2025
3.5+ New author for me (129th) The book was short and to the point story wise. I didn't feel I learnt much about DI Dixon though. I have just bought book #2 and hope that changes.
I downloaded this as a free book in 2014, so even though it was a quick read I took my time getting around to it 😊 I really need to read more books and download less in 2025, although so far it's finished 1 and bought 4.... But its only day 1!!! 🤣🤣
I downloaded this as a free book in 2014, so even though it was a quick read I took my time getting around to it 😊 I really need to read more books and download less in 2025, although so far it's finished 1 and bought 4.... But its only day 1!!! 🤣🤣
January 6, 2025
A nice easy read decent plot and enough intrigue to keep me interested.
Look forward to the other books.
Look forward to the other books.
September 5, 2018
Like !!
I was told about this series by a friend with similar reading tastes to mine .. I was a fan almost straight away .
I like the characters .. that’s always a bonus . ;-)
I was told about this series by a friend with similar reading tastes to mine .. I was a fan almost straight away .
I like the characters .. that’s always a bonus . ;-)
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