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Shocking Crimes
A body in a suitcase. A woman in a coma. A cold case that’s suddenly red-hot.
When a child’s mummified body is discovered in a suitcase hidden in the loft of a rundown terraced house in Bournemouth, even Sophie Allen and her hardened team of detectives are shocked to their core.
The only clue to the victim’s identity is a badly-spelt note: Im Jan. im only 10. plees help me.
Meanwhile, a young woman lies in a coma in the local hospital. Student Holly Evans was jabbed in the thigh with a potentially lethal drug while out clubbing with friends.
Was Holly simply in the wrong place at the wrong time — or was she deliberately targeted?
When Sophie’s team uncovers a link between Holly and the body in the suitcase, the case takes a shocking twist.
Twenty years ago something very nasty happened inside 68 Crawley Terrace — and someone is prepared to go to any lengths to ensure the truth remains hidden.
When a child’s mummified body is discovered in a suitcase hidden in the loft of a rundown terraced house in Bournemouth, even Sophie Allen and her hardened team of detectives are shocked to their core.
The only clue to the victim’s identity is a badly-spelt note: Im Jan. im only 10. plees help me.
Meanwhile, a young woman lies in a coma in the local hospital. Student Holly Evans was jabbed in the thigh with a potentially lethal drug while out clubbing with friends.
Was Holly simply in the wrong place at the wrong time — or was she deliberately targeted?
When Sophie’s team uncovers a link between Holly and the body in the suitcase, the case takes a shocking twist.
Twenty years ago something very nasty happened inside 68 Crawley Terrace — and someone is prepared to go to any lengths to ensure the truth remains hidden.
- GenresMysteryProcedural
308 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2025
209 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
November 25, 2025
Crime Drama
This book is part of a detective series. I have not read any of the earlier books so it can be read as a standalone. However, there were lots of cops to keep straight and that might have been easier if I had read the other stories.
The book starts with seemingly independent crimes and then work to see if these things are actually interconnected.
For me, though the story was interesting there were way too many characters to keep straight and I found that detracted a bit from the story.
This book is part of a detective series. I have not read any of the earlier books so it can be read as a standalone. However, there were lots of cops to keep straight and that might have been easier if I had read the other stories.
The book starts with seemingly independent crimes and then work to see if these things are actually interconnected.
For me, though the story was interesting there were way too many characters to keep straight and I found that detracted a bit from the story.
October 30, 2025
3 stars for me.
Finding a child body in a suitcase in old house, it's a case Dective Sophie Allen need resolve,and find the killer.It seems that there is more suspects with each questioning,and they all hiding something.This seem to go years back and all starting to looks conected.Will Sophie uncover the truth?
It was a good crime thriller,the procedures,questioning the suspects and tension keep me interested.My only problem was that as standalone for me it was confusing.While it's DCI Sophie Allen mystery series there was a lot of main characters,chapter jumping from one to another,and I had to guess the dynamics between them.My fault,should read previous books.Still it keep me interested,and was rooting for this team to find the killer.My first by this author and hope to read more.
For DCI Sophie Allen crime mystery series fans great continuation,you will not be disappointed.
Thank you Joffe books publisher for arc,my review is honest and my own.
Finding a child body in a suitcase in old house, it's a case Dective Sophie Allen need resolve,and find the killer.It seems that there is more suspects with each questioning,and they all hiding something.This seem to go years back and all starting to looks conected.Will Sophie uncover the truth?
It was a good crime thriller,the procedures,questioning the suspects and tension keep me interested.My only problem was that as standalone for me it was confusing.While it's DCI Sophie Allen mystery series there was a lot of main characters,chapter jumping from one to another,and I had to guess the dynamics between them.My fault,should read previous books.Still it keep me interested,and was rooting for this team to find the killer.My first by this author and hope to read more.
For DCI Sophie Allen crime mystery series fans great continuation,you will not be disappointed.
Thank you Joffe books publisher for arc,my review is honest and my own.
November 15, 2025
I’m writing this having just received a text from my local Indian restaurant, offering a 20% discount on takeaways ordered and collected this weekend. Already – and apologies for the disgusting image so early on – I can feel my salivary glands beginning to drool. It’s really only the fact that the rain is currently hammering down outside that’s stopping me from heading straight out of the front door and tucking in to their chicken or lamb jaipuri (there is a veggie version too if you prefer it). Yes, they do serve other dishes too. Lots of them, in fact. But this particular one is to die for.
I do wonder, though, what an actual restaurant critic would make of the place if they happened to dine there. And I suspect the most likely answer is: not a great deal. I’ve no doubt that other restaurants exist that are, oh, I don’t know, more comfortable, more exclusive, more memorable. Possibly even ones which, technically, serve better food. Which is why I kind of hope that no such connoisseur ever discovers the place. I don’t want to read any of their critical comments, or for the staff to have to read them either. Because for me, on a Saturday evening when I can’t be bothered to cook, it’s just perfect.
Unfortunately for any crime fiction authors, it’s really this same issue that gives them a problem when it comes to me reading their books. Because, when it comes to this particular genre, I sort of am that connoisseur. I’ve been a crime fiction fan for almost my whole life, having begun with Enid Blyton almost as soon as I could read, and have been lucky enough to have read a countless number of books by a large number of authors.
This means, however, that for a new, or new-to-me author to rank amongst my favourites, whose next books I want to read just as soon as I get my hands on them – which means virtually mixing with the likes of the great Peter James, the incredible Ian Rankin, the explosively fabulous Angela Marsons and the fiendishly clever Gillian McAllister – well, that’s a challenge. It means that it’s not enough for me to simply like a new author’s first book. Their writing has to feel somehow special. That’s not an impossible task, because in recent years I can think of three authors – Jo Callaghan, G D Wright and the sadly now departed Mark Richards – who have managed it. But it is difficult. And there are quite a lot of authors – very good, and successful authors, let’s be clear about that – who have not.
So – drum roll – has Shocking Crimes, the latest in his current series of fourteen novels, done enough to add new-to-me author Michael Hambling to my exclusive list of favourites?
Well, he definitely has some points in his favour. For a start, there’s the explosive opening: a harrowing case of a young child’s body being found in a suitcase. There’s the intrigue of an apparently separate case of a young woman being jabbed in the thigh with a potentially lethal drug whilst on the dancefloor in a nightclub. And what develops from there is a cleverly-plotted, and clearly well-researched storyline. There’s also the point that the setting for the book is real (Bournemouth). I prefer this over the use of a fictional location; it feels more authentic somehow.
The police procedural elements are believable without being overpowering – never an easy balance to find – and the portrayal of some of the secondary characters is very good too. I’ll limit the details for fear of spoilers, but there’s one person who I longed to slap and another who, even though he/she clearly wasn’t entirely innocent, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit sorry for.
All of which is great, as far as it goes. But for me, I’m afraid there were two problems. The first is one that I can hardly blame the author for, because I don’t think it’s helped that I’ve come late into an already well-established series. But after finishing this book I don’t feel that I ‘know’ Sophie Allen or her team – certainly not in the way that I ‘know’ the fictional detective characters of John Rebus, Roy Grace or Kim Stone. On top of that, there seemed to be enough police and other characters to leave me feeling a little bewildered. Perhaps if I’d been introduced to them in earlier novels, this wouldn’t have been an issue, but as it is I sometimes felt confused as to who was who.
My second problem is that, even though I read and enjoyed the book, I found myself struggling to think of what it did best. For example, it lacked the frantic pace and fierce tension of an Angela Marsons novel, or the emotional connection that makes G D Wright’s books shine. It also seemed to miss out on the psychological character study that the likes of Mark Richards and Susie Steiner were able to write so well, and in this particular instalment in the series at least, didn’t manage to turn Bournemouth into a character in itself, in the way that Ian Rankin has been able to do with Edinburgh or Peter James with Brighton.
Sadly, this means that even though I liked it, I have to be honest and say that Shocking Crimes hasn’t done enough to become one of my top-rated books of the year, in the same way that my local Indian restaurant probably wouldn’t light any sparks for a professional critic. Please don’t let that put you off reading it, though. Because if you’re less fussy, due to being less thoroughly spoilt than myself, and especially if you’re looking for a new, well-written and well-plotted crime fiction series, there’s no reason to suppose that Michael Hambling’s books won’t suit you just fine.
My thanks to Zooloo’s Book Tours for my inclusion on the blog tour for this book, which was published by Joffe Books on 13th November. I have reviewed it voluntarily and honestly.
I do wonder, though, what an actual restaurant critic would make of the place if they happened to dine there. And I suspect the most likely answer is: not a great deal. I’ve no doubt that other restaurants exist that are, oh, I don’t know, more comfortable, more exclusive, more memorable. Possibly even ones which, technically, serve better food. Which is why I kind of hope that no such connoisseur ever discovers the place. I don’t want to read any of their critical comments, or for the staff to have to read them either. Because for me, on a Saturday evening when I can’t be bothered to cook, it’s just perfect.
Unfortunately for any crime fiction authors, it’s really this same issue that gives them a problem when it comes to me reading their books. Because, when it comes to this particular genre, I sort of am that connoisseur. I’ve been a crime fiction fan for almost my whole life, having begun with Enid Blyton almost as soon as I could read, and have been lucky enough to have read a countless number of books by a large number of authors.
This means, however, that for a new, or new-to-me author to rank amongst my favourites, whose next books I want to read just as soon as I get my hands on them – which means virtually mixing with the likes of the great Peter James, the incredible Ian Rankin, the explosively fabulous Angela Marsons and the fiendishly clever Gillian McAllister – well, that’s a challenge. It means that it’s not enough for me to simply like a new author’s first book. Their writing has to feel somehow special. That’s not an impossible task, because in recent years I can think of three authors – Jo Callaghan, G D Wright and the sadly now departed Mark Richards – who have managed it. But it is difficult. And there are quite a lot of authors – very good, and successful authors, let’s be clear about that – who have not.
So – drum roll – has Shocking Crimes, the latest in his current series of fourteen novels, done enough to add new-to-me author Michael Hambling to my exclusive list of favourites?
Well, he definitely has some points in his favour. For a start, there’s the explosive opening: a harrowing case of a young child’s body being found in a suitcase. There’s the intrigue of an apparently separate case of a young woman being jabbed in the thigh with a potentially lethal drug whilst on the dancefloor in a nightclub. And what develops from there is a cleverly-plotted, and clearly well-researched storyline. There’s also the point that the setting for the book is real (Bournemouth). I prefer this over the use of a fictional location; it feels more authentic somehow.
The police procedural elements are believable without being overpowering – never an easy balance to find – and the portrayal of some of the secondary characters is very good too. I’ll limit the details for fear of spoilers, but there’s one person who I longed to slap and another who, even though he/she clearly wasn’t entirely innocent, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit sorry for.
All of which is great, as far as it goes. But for me, I’m afraid there were two problems. The first is one that I can hardly blame the author for, because I don’t think it’s helped that I’ve come late into an already well-established series. But after finishing this book I don’t feel that I ‘know’ Sophie Allen or her team – certainly not in the way that I ‘know’ the fictional detective characters of John Rebus, Roy Grace or Kim Stone. On top of that, there seemed to be enough police and other characters to leave me feeling a little bewildered. Perhaps if I’d been introduced to them in earlier novels, this wouldn’t have been an issue, but as it is I sometimes felt confused as to who was who.
My second problem is that, even though I read and enjoyed the book, I found myself struggling to think of what it did best. For example, it lacked the frantic pace and fierce tension of an Angela Marsons novel, or the emotional connection that makes G D Wright’s books shine. It also seemed to miss out on the psychological character study that the likes of Mark Richards and Susie Steiner were able to write so well, and in this particular instalment in the series at least, didn’t manage to turn Bournemouth into a character in itself, in the way that Ian Rankin has been able to do with Edinburgh or Peter James with Brighton.
Sadly, this means that even though I liked it, I have to be honest and say that Shocking Crimes hasn’t done enough to become one of my top-rated books of the year, in the same way that my local Indian restaurant probably wouldn’t light any sparks for a professional critic. Please don’t let that put you off reading it, though. Because if you’re less fussy, due to being less thoroughly spoilt than myself, and especially if you’re looking for a new, well-written and well-plotted crime fiction series, there’s no reason to suppose that Michael Hambling’s books won’t suit you just fine.
My thanks to Zooloo’s Book Tours for my inclusion on the blog tour for this book, which was published by Joffe Books on 13th November. I have reviewed it voluntarily and honestly.
December 1, 2025
Thanks to the stellar Joffe Books and Netgalley for this eARC.
Michael Hambling’s Shocking Crimes is a tense, character-driven detective thriller that thrives on atmosphere, moral complexity, and the slow unraveling of secrets.
🔍Set against the backdrop of the English countryside, the novel begins with a crime that rattles a seemingly quiet community. What appears at first to be a straightforward investigation quickly reveals layers of deceit, hidden motives, and long-buried grudges. Hambling uses the rural setting to heighten suspense—the tranquility of villages and coastal landscapes contrasts sharply with the violence lurking beneath, creating a mood that is unsettling yet immersive.
Detective Harriet Taylor: At the center of the story is Taylor, a determined and empathetic investigator whose sharp instincts drive the case forward. Her balance of professionalism and humanity makes her a compelling lead.
Hambling crafts a cast of locals whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. Each character carries secrets, and their interactions keep suspicion shifting throughout the narrative.
The investigative team adds texture, with moments of camaraderie and tension that highlight the pressures of police work.
The interplay between Taylor’s persistence and the community’s reluctance to reveal truths creates a gripping push-and-pull dynamic...
⚡ This novel explores the fragility of trust, the corrosive power of secrets, and the ripple effects of crime in close-knit communities. Hambling suggests that violence is rarely isolated—it emerges from histories of resentment, betrayal, and silence.
The story also reflects on justice as a process that is as much about human resilience as it is about solving puzzles.
Hambling’s prose is clear, brisk, and atmospheric. He balances procedural detail with psychological depth, ensuring that the investigation feels authentic while never losing narrative momentum. The pacing is steady, with each revelation tightening the net around the truth.
The impact lies not only in the resolution of the crime but in the way Hambling portrays the emotional toll of violence on individuals and communities. Readers are left with the sense that justice, while necessary, is never simple.
Shocking Crimes is a gripping detective thriller that combines procedural precision with emotional resonance. Michael Hambling delivers a story that is both compulsively readable and thought-provoking, ensuring Detective Harriet Taylor is a strong and memorable lead in contemporary crime fiction.
Michael Hambling’s Shocking Crimes is a tense, character-driven detective thriller that thrives on atmosphere, moral complexity, and the slow unraveling of secrets.
🔍Set against the backdrop of the English countryside, the novel begins with a crime that rattles a seemingly quiet community. What appears at first to be a straightforward investigation quickly reveals layers of deceit, hidden motives, and long-buried grudges. Hambling uses the rural setting to heighten suspense—the tranquility of villages and coastal landscapes contrasts sharply with the violence lurking beneath, creating a mood that is unsettling yet immersive.
Detective Harriet Taylor: At the center of the story is Taylor, a determined and empathetic investigator whose sharp instincts drive the case forward. Her balance of professionalism and humanity makes her a compelling lead.
Hambling crafts a cast of locals whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. Each character carries secrets, and their interactions keep suspicion shifting throughout the narrative.
The investigative team adds texture, with moments of camaraderie and tension that highlight the pressures of police work.
The interplay between Taylor’s persistence and the community’s reluctance to reveal truths creates a gripping push-and-pull dynamic...
⚡ This novel explores the fragility of trust, the corrosive power of secrets, and the ripple effects of crime in close-knit communities. Hambling suggests that violence is rarely isolated—it emerges from histories of resentment, betrayal, and silence.
The story also reflects on justice as a process that is as much about human resilience as it is about solving puzzles.
Hambling’s prose is clear, brisk, and atmospheric. He balances procedural detail with psychological depth, ensuring that the investigation feels authentic while never losing narrative momentum. The pacing is steady, with each revelation tightening the net around the truth.
The impact lies not only in the resolution of the crime but in the way Hambling portrays the emotional toll of violence on individuals and communities. Readers are left with the sense that justice, while necessary, is never simple.
Shocking Crimes is a gripping detective thriller that combines procedural precision with emotional resonance. Michael Hambling delivers a story that is both compulsively readable and thought-provoking, ensuring Detective Harriet Taylor is a strong and memorable lead in contemporary crime fiction.
November 6, 2025
We are in Dorset. Bournemouth, to be exact. But this is not the genteel Budmouth, Regency watering place of Thomas Hardy's novels, but a much more hard-edged kind of place. The cast of coppers includes Detective Chief Superintendent Sophie Allen, Detective Chief Inspector Barry Marsh and Detective Inspector Lydia Pillay, Bournemouth CID, newly appointed to the role of DI.
Thirty eight year-old Pippa Chandler has been arrested for the murder of her disabled boyfriend Joshua Quick. She had recently inherited a house from her uncle and, while searching the property, police find a scrap of yellowing paper on which appears to be written a cry for help from a ten year-old child. A slapdash search of the house has revealed nothing of interest, but then a more assiduous crime technician discovers a false panel in the roof space. And behind the panel is a battered suitcase containing a grisly find - the dessicated remains of a child, later revealed to the corpse of a little girl.
Meanwhile, a seemingly unrelated investigation into a more recent tragedy is in focus. In a Bournemouth nightclub, a student called Holly collapses on the dance floor. She is rushed to hospital, where she lies between life and death. This wasn't drink spiking, but 'jabbing' - a surreptitious injection with a throwaway hypodermic syringe, and Holly had an existing heart condition. In a dramatic and significant twist, Holly's mother admits her historic links to the house where the child's remains were found.
In general, there are two kinds of police/private investigator thrillers - the ones where the author keeps the perpetrator/s hidden from both us readers and the forces of law and order until the last few pages and those where we learn who the bad guys are early in the piece, with the entertainment coming from watching the police untangle the knots. Shocking Crimes largely falls into the latter category but Michael Hambling actually gives us the best of both worlds here. Yes, we learn early doors that Bruce Greenfield is a wrong 'un, and we also know who his criminal associates were, but exactly who did what - and to whom - we discover through the eyes of the detectives.
Although elegantly plotted and with credible dramatis personnae, Shocking Crimes makes for uncomfortable reading at times as it delves into the fraught world of child protection, now known as Safeguarding. Having worked in this area myself, I am aware of the dark litany of historic failures laid at the door of professional adults charged with keeping young people from harm. In the end, as this novel shows, there are human beings so depraved and devoid of decency that no foolproof system to combat them has ever been devised. The novel will be published by Joffe Books on 13th November.
Thirty eight year-old Pippa Chandler has been arrested for the murder of her disabled boyfriend Joshua Quick. She had recently inherited a house from her uncle and, while searching the property, police find a scrap of yellowing paper on which appears to be written a cry for help from a ten year-old child. A slapdash search of the house has revealed nothing of interest, but then a more assiduous crime technician discovers a false panel in the roof space. And behind the panel is a battered suitcase containing a grisly find - the dessicated remains of a child, later revealed to the corpse of a little girl.
Meanwhile, a seemingly unrelated investigation into a more recent tragedy is in focus. In a Bournemouth nightclub, a student called Holly collapses on the dance floor. She is rushed to hospital, where she lies between life and death. This wasn't drink spiking, but 'jabbing' - a surreptitious injection with a throwaway hypodermic syringe, and Holly had an existing heart condition. In a dramatic and significant twist, Holly's mother admits her historic links to the house where the child's remains were found.
In general, there are two kinds of police/private investigator thrillers - the ones where the author keeps the perpetrator/s hidden from both us readers and the forces of law and order until the last few pages and those where we learn who the bad guys are early in the piece, with the entertainment coming from watching the police untangle the knots. Shocking Crimes largely falls into the latter category but Michael Hambling actually gives us the best of both worlds here. Yes, we learn early doors that Bruce Greenfield is a wrong 'un, and we also know who his criminal associates were, but exactly who did what - and to whom - we discover through the eyes of the detectives.
Although elegantly plotted and with credible dramatis personnae, Shocking Crimes makes for uncomfortable reading at times as it delves into the fraught world of child protection, now known as Safeguarding. Having worked in this area myself, I am aware of the dark litany of historic failures laid at the door of professional adults charged with keeping young people from harm. In the end, as this novel shows, there are human beings so depraved and devoid of decency that no foolproof system to combat them has ever been devised. The novel will be published by Joffe Books on 13th November.
November 16, 2025
Dorset based detectives from Wessex Regional Serious Crime Unit, including DCI Barry Marsh, DS Rae Gregson, DC Tommy Carter and DC Jackie Spring headed by Det Chief Supt Sophie Allan join DI Lydia Pillay, DS Jimmy Melsom and DC George Warrender from Bournemouth CID when the search of a house recently inherited by a woman already suspected of murdering her ex-partner reveals the walled-up body of a young child in a suitcase. Just what was going on around Pippa’s Uncle Gus’s house many years ago? Who is still terrified of the truth coming out at last? They also become involved in an attempted murder case in the town when a student is jabbed in the thigh with a synthetic drug in a nightclub. Could Holly, now in a coma, have been specifically targeted due to her heart condition or was it merely random bad luck? The detectives discover ties to an unwelcome face from history and suddenly three major cases are all linked by one small house, but will they ever be able to untangle the web of lies and buried secrets from years ago to get justice for the crimes of both past and present?
All the detectives from both units featured were very likeable and work together as a team extremely well and, unusually for crime fiction, none of them have personal problems which prevents them doing their jobs. With many threads gradually woven together and lots of twists and potential suspects in the story, it was hard to decide just which of the many characters was guilty and who was actually telling the truth! The plot is clever and complex, and it certainly kept me hooked from start to finish. I very much enjoyed this story which forms part of an excellent series and I look forward to more!
All the detectives from both units featured were very likeable and work together as a team extremely well and, unusually for crime fiction, none of them have personal problems which prevents them doing their jobs. With many threads gradually woven together and lots of twists and potential suspects in the story, it was hard to decide just which of the many characters was guilty and who was actually telling the truth! The plot is clever and complex, and it certainly kept me hooked from start to finish. I very much enjoyed this story which forms part of an excellent series and I look forward to more!
November 9, 2025
There's something uniquely unsettling about discovering a child's body in a suitcase which made me think of the New Zealand case, a couple of years ago when the two asian children were found dead in suitcases and left in a storage shed, and Michael Hambling doesn't pull any punches in this latest Detective Sophie Allen mystery. From the moment I opened Shocking Crimes, I knew I was in for a dark, compelling ride.
The premise grabbed me immediately: a mummified child's body hidden in a loft, accompanied only by a heartbreaking, badly-spelled note – "Im Jan. im only 10. plees help me." Those simple words haunted me throughout the entire read. Hambling has a gift for making you feel the weight of every tragedy his characters uncover.
What could have been a straightforward cold case investigation takes on layers of complexity when a young student, Holly Evans, ends up in a coma after being jabbed with a potentially lethal drug at a nightclub. Was it random violence, or something more sinister? When Sophie's team discovers a connection between Holly and the body in the suitcase, the investigation explodes in directions I genuinely didn't see coming.
The real strength here is how Michael Hambling weaves together past and present. Twenty years ago, something horrifying happened at 68 Crawley Terrace, and someone desperately wants those secrets buried. The tension builds beautifully as Sophie and her team peel back decades of lies, and I found myself racing through pages late into the night.
Michael Hambling's Bournemouth setting feels authentic and gritty, and his supporting cast of detectives each bring something valuable to the investigation.
If you're looking for a crime thriller that doesn't shy away from the brutal realities of cold cases and violent crime, Shocking Crimes delivers. Fair warning though: you'll want to clear your schedule, because putting this one down isn't easy.
The premise grabbed me immediately: a mummified child's body hidden in a loft, accompanied only by a heartbreaking, badly-spelled note – "Im Jan. im only 10. plees help me." Those simple words haunted me throughout the entire read. Hambling has a gift for making you feel the weight of every tragedy his characters uncover.
What could have been a straightforward cold case investigation takes on layers of complexity when a young student, Holly Evans, ends up in a coma after being jabbed with a potentially lethal drug at a nightclub. Was it random violence, or something more sinister? When Sophie's team discovers a connection between Holly and the body in the suitcase, the investigation explodes in directions I genuinely didn't see coming.
The real strength here is how Michael Hambling weaves together past and present. Twenty years ago, something horrifying happened at 68 Crawley Terrace, and someone desperately wants those secrets buried. The tension builds beautifully as Sophie and her team peel back decades of lies, and I found myself racing through pages late into the night.
Michael Hambling's Bournemouth setting feels authentic and gritty, and his supporting cast of detectives each bring something valuable to the investigation.
If you're looking for a crime thriller that doesn't shy away from the brutal realities of cold cases and violent crime, Shocking Crimes delivers. Fair warning though: you'll want to clear your schedule, because putting this one down isn't easy.
November 2, 2025
Another cracker in the Sophie Allen crime series. Easily read as a standalone.
Michael Hamblin has surpassed himself with the 14th addition to the DCI Sophie Allen series.
The title says it all, truly Shocking Crimes. An attempted murder, a brutal murder and most shocking of all the torture and killing of a young child!
The local police are investigating the stabbing of a disabled man, and his lodger is arrested in what seems an open and shut case. That is, until they search a house belonging to the alleged killer, a gruesome discovery is made when the mummified body of a child is found hidden in a suitcase. Sophie's serious crimes team, WeSCU, are called in to oversee the investigation. The local force is further stretched when a victim of a drug spiking results in a young student fighting for her life after collapsing on a dance club floor.
Names crop up, and too many coincidences point to the crimes being somehow related.
A cleverly crafted story evolves, and the Police need all their skills and patience to solve the murders that go back twenty years. This is a real fast-paced page turner with great characters and a chilling storyline.
Michael Hamblin has surpassed himself with the 14th addition to the DCI Sophie Allen series.
The title says it all, truly Shocking Crimes. An attempted murder, a brutal murder and most shocking of all the torture and killing of a young child!
The local police are investigating the stabbing of a disabled man, and his lodger is arrested in what seems an open and shut case. That is, until they search a house belonging to the alleged killer, a gruesome discovery is made when the mummified body of a child is found hidden in a suitcase. Sophie's serious crimes team, WeSCU, are called in to oversee the investigation. The local force is further stretched when a victim of a drug spiking results in a young student fighting for her life after collapsing on a dance club floor.
Names crop up, and too many coincidences point to the crimes being somehow related.
A cleverly crafted story evolves, and the Police need all their skills and patience to solve the murders that go back twenty years. This is a real fast-paced page turner with great characters and a chilling storyline.
December 12, 2025
Bournemouth's community is shocked by the discovery of a child's mummified body in a suitcase and a university student is injected with a date rape drug while clubbing. The police are baffled by the current and historic crimes...
Shocking Crimes is the 14th book in the Sophie Allen series of police procedurals.
The police are busy with two highly emotive cases. A child's body has been hidden for almost two decades while a young woman is in a coma following being jabbed. Meanwhile a killer is looking to reduce her sentence by turning informer on her past acquaintances and this includes information about bent cops from the past.
Gradually the police find connections between the two investigations. There were lots of twists and I was kept guessing until the end.
I thought that the cooperation between the police teams was refreshing in contrast to the usual antagonism portrayed in other series. There are no spoilers about earlier books although I assume Sophie Allen was injured in the last book as she is on crutches in this one.
Shocking Crimes is an entertaining police procedural and I want to catch up on the earlier books in the series.
Shocking Crimes is the 14th book in the Sophie Allen series of police procedurals.
The police are busy with two highly emotive cases. A child's body has been hidden for almost two decades while a young woman is in a coma following being jabbed. Meanwhile a killer is looking to reduce her sentence by turning informer on her past acquaintances and this includes information about bent cops from the past.
Gradually the police find connections between the two investigations. There were lots of twists and I was kept guessing until the end.
I thought that the cooperation between the police teams was refreshing in contrast to the usual antagonism portrayed in other series. There are no spoilers about earlier books although I assume Sophie Allen was injured in the last book as she is on crutches in this one.
Shocking Crimes is an entertaining police procedural and I want to catch up on the earlier books in the series.
January 17, 2026
Tight, taut, deeply disturbing, Sophie and her extended team are confronted by baffling crimes. The body of young girl is found hidden behind a wall in a suitcase in the house inherited by a murder suspect. There is also a note that helps to open an ugly story to the light of day. The child, Jan, was a ghost long before she died. Abused by those who should have cared and ignored by the systems that should have caught her distress. It is just one of the many sordid things that haunt the neighborhood where Jan was found.
At the same time a young university student is on deaths door from a surreptitious jab at a local club. The investigation inexorably leads back to the tragedy of Jan. But how does it fit and how does a dead bent copper’s actions bind it all together? It is so well constructed that the reader discovers each new connection and clue with the officers. And when the entire story is revealed, it is even more dastardly than imagined. It is a thriller from beginning to end. Five purrs and two paws up.
At the same time a young university student is on deaths door from a surreptitious jab at a local club. The investigation inexorably leads back to the tragedy of Jan. But how does it fit and how does a dead bent copper’s actions bind it all together? It is so well constructed that the reader discovers each new connection and clue with the officers. And when the entire story is revealed, it is even more dastardly than imagined. It is a thriller from beginning to end. Five purrs and two paws up.
November 14, 2025
This is the 14th book but easily read as a standalone thriller/police procedural.
We go from one murder to suddenly 3 crimes in quick succession and then a slow-burn unwinding of linking them all together. There's a mix of characters here and many are linked one way or another.
Pippa is a loathsome creature so it's easy to see her as a criminal but some of the others are a little more devious. The police certainly have their work cut out for them and it doesn't help that one of their own was a dirty cop. He's been a while but his past is dug up and we get to see just how rotten he was.
You can't help but feel sorry for Holly. She's completely innocent in all of it and just looking for answers. We get there in the end but you do wonder if she wishes she'd just left it all alone!
I quite enjoyed this and found it easy to pick up. I think the series as a whole would give a more rounded view of the main officers and you do get hints of their relationships/links. It's well put together and I think it'd be worth going back to the beginning to start with the first book
We go from one murder to suddenly 3 crimes in quick succession and then a slow-burn unwinding of linking them all together. There's a mix of characters here and many are linked one way or another.
Pippa is a loathsome creature so it's easy to see her as a criminal but some of the others are a little more devious. The police certainly have their work cut out for them and it doesn't help that one of their own was a dirty cop. He's been a while but his past is dug up and we get to see just how rotten he was.
You can't help but feel sorry for Holly. She's completely innocent in all of it and just looking for answers. We get there in the end but you do wonder if she wishes she'd just left it all alone!
I quite enjoyed this and found it easy to pick up. I think the series as a whole would give a more rounded view of the main officers and you do get hints of their relationships/links. It's well put together and I think it'd be worth going back to the beginning to start with the first book
November 8, 2025
Michael Hambling returns with a chilling new instalment in his Dorset crime series, and this one cuts deep. A mummified child in a suitcase. A cryptic note scrawled in desperation. A young woman in a coma. From the very first page, this mystery grips with quiet horror and refuses to let go.
Detective Sophie Allen—sharp, intuitive, and quietly haunted—leads the investigation with her usual blend of grit and empathy. As her team unravels the threads between a decades-old cold case and a present-day assault, the story unfolds with a steady, unnerving tension. The setting—Bournemouth’s faded terraces and shadowed corners—adds a layer of melancholy that lingers long after the final chapter.
Hambling’s prose is clean and deliberate, allowing the emotional weight of the case to speak for itself. The mystery is tightly plotted, with twists that feel earned and characters who carry their scars with realism. Sophie herself remains a compelling lead: brilliant, guarded, and deeply human.
This is a crime novel that doesn’t rely on spectacle—it’s the quiet details, the buried secrets, and the slow burn of justice that make it so satisfying. Perfect for fans of Joy Ellis and Ann Cleeves, especially those who appreciate a detective with depth and a story that respects its shadows.
A haunting, thoughtful read for autumn nights—best paired with a blanket, a strong brew, and the kind of silence that listens.
Thank you to Michael Hambling, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
Detective Sophie Allen—sharp, intuitive, and quietly haunted—leads the investigation with her usual blend of grit and empathy. As her team unravels the threads between a decades-old cold case and a present-day assault, the story unfolds with a steady, unnerving tension. The setting—Bournemouth’s faded terraces and shadowed corners—adds a layer of melancholy that lingers long after the final chapter.
Hambling’s prose is clean and deliberate, allowing the emotional weight of the case to speak for itself. The mystery is tightly plotted, with twists that feel earned and characters who carry their scars with realism. Sophie herself remains a compelling lead: brilliant, guarded, and deeply human.
This is a crime novel that doesn’t rely on spectacle—it’s the quiet details, the buried secrets, and the slow burn of justice that make it so satisfying. Perfect for fans of Joy Ellis and Ann Cleeves, especially those who appreciate a detective with depth and a story that respects its shadows.
A haunting, thoughtful read for autumn nights—best paired with a blanket, a strong brew, and the kind of silence that listens.
Thank you to Michael Hambling, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
November 1, 2025
Sophie and her team arrest a defiant Pippa who has murdered her disabled landlord, for whom she was a caregiver. When they go to look at the house Pippa has inherited, they find a child’s body stuffed in a suitcase, and a note. They are also investigating a case where a student, Holly, out with her friends at a club has been given an injection of rohypnol and is in a coma. Could the two cases be connected? Could the attack against Holly have been targeted? There are a lot of characters to keep straight, but this is still an engaging British police procedural that fans of the genre should enjoy. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
November 11, 2025
When I read the first Sophie Allen book in the series I will admit i found it frustrating as she viewed the Dorset Police force as incompetent country yokels. I'm so glad I stuck with it. She quickly came to realise that they are great coppers (well with a few definite exceptions). They're now a brilliant team full of interesting people who we get to follow book after book.
In this (the 14th in the series) shadows from the past arise. There couldn't possibly be links between what appears to be a straightforward murder, a current spiking incident and a terrible discovery from years ago..... could there?
I love how the different investigative teams work separately & then collaboratively as multiple leads are followed & the truth is finally uncovered.
Great characters & clever ways of revealing the story.
Can easily be read as a stand alone. If you've read previous ones in the series you know the back history of the characters which adds extra depth.
In this (the 14th in the series) shadows from the past arise. There couldn't possibly be links between what appears to be a straightforward murder, a current spiking incident and a terrible discovery from years ago..... could there?
I love how the different investigative teams work separately & then collaboratively as multiple leads are followed & the truth is finally uncovered.
Great characters & clever ways of revealing the story.
Can easily be read as a stand alone. If you've read previous ones in the series you know the back history of the characters which adds extra depth.
November 24, 2025
This is book 14 in the Detective Sophie Allen series.
I haven’t read any others in this series but other than missing back stories of characters it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this book.
A dark investigation starts with the discovery of the body of a child, with a steady pace plot which speeds up as the book progresses along with the building tension, this was a great read.
An atmospheric read with twists along the way, the characters are well written and very believable, in fact i enjoyed this read so much i will definitely be going back to the beginning to read the whole series.
I haven’t read any others in this series but other than missing back stories of characters it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this book.
A dark investigation starts with the discovery of the body of a child, with a steady pace plot which speeds up as the book progresses along with the building tension, this was a great read.
An atmospheric read with twists along the way, the characters are well written and very believable, in fact i enjoyed this read so much i will definitely be going back to the beginning to read the whole series.
January 5, 2026
A really interesting first half of the book, the way the different cases began to intertwine was quite fascinating. However the scale of the investigation and the sheer number of different characters became a bit of a problem. The flow of the story slowed down and information emerges that isn’t acted on for many chapters.
Also before they finally moved in to make arrests it seemed like they were repeatedly going over the same ground and it almost felt like the author was padding out the story. However it was still a very interesting story.
Also before they finally moved in to make arrests it seemed like they were repeatedly going over the same ground and it almost felt like the author was padding out the story. However it was still a very interesting story.
January 8, 2026
A Bit More Detail Than Normal. Three elements plus the additional threads, one a two decade old suspicious body of a young child. A long time corrupt cop, ad infinitum. However with two teams working together, and Inspector Sofie nearly back on her feet (using elbow crutches) they pull together to tie a myriad of seemingly disassociated loose ends together. Author Hambling brought it all together beautifully. His stories and writings only got better as the careers of a great team matured in crime resolution. Great job! VR, Mags
November 22, 2025
A shocking discovery behind the wall of an attic sends investigators seeking information from decades past, while new crimes are also under investigation. Then the clues begin to lead to unexpected connections between the present and the past.
This is a good series which I recommend to anyone who enjoys police procedural mysteries.
I received an ARC from the publisher and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you, Joffe Books!
This is a good series which I recommend to anyone who enjoys police procedural mysteries.
I received an ARC from the publisher and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you, Joffe Books!
December 19, 2025
I had read anything previously by Michael Hambling and this installment of the Sophie Allen series was recommended so I gave it a try. I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. The story went along from start to finish and I never did figure out who dun it because I simply had no clue at all. I didn't find myself interested in any of the characters to tell the truth. I gave it a go but I don't believe I will try any of the other books in this series.
December 30, 2025
This was a sad and disturbing story about poverty, greed and those without conscience.
Two deaths, but are they connected? Two teams investigated each one, which highlighted the depths of human behaviour and how others seemingly just watch.
All the characters suited the plot, not all likeable but realistic. I liked the writing style and the twists and turns of the plot.
Well-written and engaging.
Two deaths, but are they connected? Two teams investigated each one, which highlighted the depths of human behaviour and how others seemingly just watch.
All the characters suited the plot, not all likeable but realistic. I liked the writing style and the twists and turns of the plot.
Well-written and engaging.
November 14, 2025
Excellent!
Exciting story of evil doings from 20 years prior! There are several criminal events but all eventually are exposed. Many of them convergent and branches of the original evil events. Sophie's team has many of our favorite police personnel from this excellent series! Be prepared to read straight through to the outstanding final confrontations!
Exciting story of evil doings from 20 years prior! There are several criminal events but all eventually are exposed. Many of them convergent and branches of the original evil events. Sophie's team has many of our favorite police personnel from this excellent series! Be prepared to read straight through to the outstanding final confrontations!
November 16, 2025
Good to read another Sophie Allen story, especially as most of the old team are back in the picture with only subtle references to their past history. Intriguing how events of 20 years previously can be brought to the present with one single vicious attack. A great read and a good insight into police procedures.
Julian Tremayne, Cromer, Norfolk
Julian Tremayne, Cromer, Norfolk
October 21, 2025
I found this latest book by the author has a gripping chilling plot.
Sophie and her team find a suitcase and what. was inside.
This caught my attention and to the end pages. I have enjoyed
this authors many other series and recommend this one also.
Sophie and her team find a suitcase and what. was inside.
This caught my attention and to the end pages. I have enjoyed
this authors many other series and recommend this one also.
November 10, 2025
This is #14 in the Detective Sophie Allen series but can easily be read as a standalone. I love the Sophie Allen series and have read all of them, so I was looking forward to this next episode.
Detective Chief Superintendent Sophie and her team are investigating a case where a young woman, Holly, was out clubbing with her friend and was injected with a ‘date rape’ drug. The team is also investigating a woman who has murdered her disabled boyfriend and the remains of a child – along with a note – is discovered in the house.
Another brilliant Sophie Allen offering from Michael Hambling.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.
Detective Chief Superintendent Sophie and her team are investigating a case where a young woman, Holly, was out clubbing with her friend and was injected with a ‘date rape’ drug. The team is also investigating a woman who has murdered her disabled boyfriend and the remains of a child – along with a note – is discovered in the house.
Another brilliant Sophie Allen offering from Michael Hambling.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.
November 10, 2025
I really enjoyed Shocking Crimes! It’s one of the stronger entries in the Sophie Allen series - very dark, emotional, and full of twists that kept me hooked right to the end. The discovery of the body in the suitcase was such a chilling start, and the way the story tied the past and present together was really well done.
Sophie remains a fantastic lead, always smart, tough, and human and I liked how we got glimpses of her more personal side this time. The pacing was solid, and the mystery kept me guessing without ever feeling overcomplicated.
If you like British police procedurals with real depth and heart, this one’s definitely worth scooping up!
Sophie remains a fantastic lead, always smart, tough, and human and I liked how we got glimpses of her more personal side this time. The pacing was solid, and the mystery kept me guessing without ever feeling overcomplicated.
If you like British police procedurals with real depth and heart, this one’s definitely worth scooping up!
December 19, 2025
interesting book
Shocking Crimes is a complicated story that provides last critical pieces. Detective Sophie Allen and her team build the crimes. A great book.
Shocking Crimes is a complicated story that provides last critical pieces. Detective Sophie Allen and her team build the crimes. A great book.
January 4, 2026
Fourteen books later I am still enjoying this series.
January 8, 2026
brilliant
Love this series would highly recommend but do start at the beginning you want be disappointed read in one sitting
Love this series would highly recommend but do start at the beginning you want be disappointed read in one sitting
November 10, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. I found myself captured into a gripping roller-coaster of twists and turns and surprising revelations in a well written storyline and plot.
It has strong and interesting characters and keeps you guessing all the way through. Although I have to confess I hadn't an inkling to who it could be.
Although this is book 14 in the Detective Sophie Allen series, it can be read as a standalone in its own right.
My thanks to Joffe books for the advanced copy. This is my honest and unbiased review of this book.
It has strong and interesting characters and keeps you guessing all the way through. Although I have to confess I hadn't an inkling to who it could be.
Although this is book 14 in the Detective Sophie Allen series, it can be read as a standalone in its own right.
My thanks to Joffe books for the advanced copy. This is my honest and unbiased review of this book.
November 6, 2025
This is my first Sophie Allen book and I will be going back to the start. It reads well as a standalone although at first it was quite complex not having all the history of the teams but give the lead is a detective superintendent then it was always going to be the case that it would have a large cast.
At the beginning we’re introduced to two very different crimes - one appears to be at its conclusion, the other just getting started. A small piece of paper with a child’s scrawl kicks off. As the teams assigned to each case dig a little deeper it becomes apparent that all is not quite what it seems and maybe not as random as first appears.
Long time fans of this series are in for a treat. Those new to the series, buckle up as it’s a rollercoaster of a ride!
I received an early copy of this book and my views are my own.
At the beginning we’re introduced to two very different crimes - one appears to be at its conclusion, the other just getting started. A small piece of paper with a child’s scrawl kicks off. As the teams assigned to each case dig a little deeper it becomes apparent that all is not quite what it seems and maybe not as random as first appears.
Long time fans of this series are in for a treat. Those new to the series, buckle up as it’s a rollercoaster of a ride!
I received an early copy of this book and my views are my own.
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