Swansong

DI Nick Dixon #4

by Damien Boyd

Isobel Swan, a sixth form student, has been murdered. First, her ring finger is severed, then her throat is cut.

With the investigation going nowhere fast, Detective Inspector Nick Dixon is sent undercover as a trainee teacher into Isobel’s boarding school.

But to find the killer, he must first confront his inner demons and lay to rest the ghosts lurking in his own past. If he can…

As Dixon digs deeper, the stakes have never been higher and a murder has never felt so personal.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Procedural, Audiobook

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 2015

About the author

Damien 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.

Reviews

[Kylie D · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Swansong, I must say it's the best in the Nick Dixon series so far. Nick goes undercover as a teacher at a school where a girl has been murdered. The investigation takes Nick to uncover deep memories of another case, and another girl. As the stakes rise Nick finds himself more and more desperate for an outcome, because this time, for Nick, it's personal.

I found this book more fleshed out than the previous books in the series, and much better for it. We learn more about Nick and his background, what makes him tick. This series is getting better and more enjoyable the more I read it. Recommended for crime and mystery lovers everywhere.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing crime mystery with DI Nick Dixon going undercover in a boarding school. When a student is murdered who bears a striking resemblance to his girlfriend who went missing some 17 years earlier he is convinced this latest crime is by the same perpetrator.
As the school terms nears to its December break Dixon must find the guilty person before then and before his boss finds out his connection to the earlier disappearance. He shouldn't be on the case but has this person reason plus he's ideally suited as he went to a similiar school himself.
Plenty of red herrings and possible suspects; a further murder and many links to his past later Nick has a moment of inspiration but is it too late and can he found out the truth about what happened all those years ago.
Tense climax in a very well constructed story. Good mixture of routine police work; school life and action/thrills. Who could dislike a detective with a dog called Monty?
However, it seems to have become the Nick and Jane show and because of their blossoming relationship they shouldn't really be working together. perhaps fate is about to take a hand. How will Jane cope with his broading about the loss of his first love?
The fourth in this series and another good novel that Damien Boyd can be proud of and help him get the recognition he deserves.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best of the series to date. In this book we learn more about Nick Dixon, we delve back to his schooldays when a new crime triggers thoughts back to one he was personally involved with. Like previous books in the series, he bends the rules a little, keeping his potential association quiet so he can continue with the investigation. This side of him I really like and the explanation of what happened to him in the past fills in a few gaps about his personality and motives about his career choice. I still struggle with his current personal relationship but at least in this book, we get more of a balance away from just keeping all major players within the Force which did trouble me with the first few books.
The story in itself is intriguing and wends it way through past and present culminating in a twist that, like all the other books in the series, I didn't see coming but was perfectly satisfying. Pacing, description, characterisation were also of the same high quality that I have come to expect from this series.
It's a shame I am all caught up with this series now as I will miss DI Nixon, but rest assured, I will be patiently awaiting more from him in the (hopefully not too distant) future.

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could I'd give this more than 5 stars . From the middle of Chpt 12 the pace hots up and the last hour of the book I was reading faster and faster as I'd had a low battery warning and was desperate to get to the end first. I was just holding back the tears as the ending came. Powerful writing.

In this book we learn why Nick joined the police. It all goes back to his school days and the disappearance of a schoolgirl. Following the death of another girl 17 years on Nick goes undercover as a trainee teacher. As events unfold, that first disappearance and the new death are linked and solved along with two more murders and likely several others over the intervening years.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. The mystery aspect of this story was strong, but I'm finally get the feel of who the perp always is in a Damien Boyd mystery. Of course, it's the person you'd least expect, in part because that's what makes their guilt so surprising, but mainly due to the fact that the author hardly includes them in the story. At all. Until the very end that is. Upon realizing this trend in this author's books, I'm finding myself underwhelmed when the identity of the murderer is finally revealed since I have nothing invested in that character at all. There's no "I can't believe she would do such a thing!" or "How sad she felt like she needed to kill the victim" or even "I thought it was that other character for sure!" My reaction is more along the lines of "Huh? Oh, it's her? Who is she again?" And that can't be a good thing.

I'm a huge fan of Agatha Christie, who never ceases to amaze me by her capacity to stun me with the identity of her story's perp. She doesn't accomplish this by barely touching upon that character in her storytelling, but rather includes plenty of hints woven into the fabric of her story. At the final reveal, I always kick myself for not having figured out everything before that very moment since the author had given me all the clues I'd needed had I only been paying closer attention. Alas, not everything can be Agatha Christie, nor should everyone try to be. Indeed, there are quite a few things that are nice about Mr. Boyd's writing.

I do enjoy the fact that the focus of his stories is the crime and police work that go into bringing the perp to justice. That aspect is always interesting. I also enjoy the dry humour and witty banter between the MCs as well as between the rest of the team.

However, I feel like the romance department really suffered in this story. The H is still in love with his dead fiance and he even admits that he is. He also acknowledges that working on this case with Jane, his current girlfriend, must be hard on Jane, and asks her if they'll survive as a couple. Jane is really amazing. I gave this book a star just because she's awesome. And she really deserves a man who isn't still hung up on someone else. Maybe if he'd professed his love for Jane, even in his own thoughts, I would have liked the romance aspect more, but it was a miss for me.

Overall, one star for the mystery, one star for Jane, and one star for Monty, who gets schlepped around all over England.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Net Galley offered this fourth book about Nick Dixon, but, in addition, offered the first three free for download through April. I started at the beginning, with As The Crow Flies, and continued the marathon to the end. I find these novels to be "intellectual" crime solving -- no excessive use of 4-letter words, no blatant and descriptive sex, no overly bloody crime scenes to turn the reader's stomach. In Britain, where the police force do not carry guns, it is a real pleasure to see them use their wits [along with a little help from Google] to explore every possibility, and arrive at a satisfying conclusion.

Nick Dixon is lost in memories. Years ago he was at a boys' school in England, and madly, desperately in love. Fran was her name. And then, one day, she was gone. Inexplicably gone.

Now he's Detective Inspector Nick Dixon, and he's been put on a team to find out who killed Isobel Swan. Isobel was 17. When Nick first saw the body, he nearly went into shock. It was Fran! Lying there in the morgue was someone who looked so amazingly like Fran that Nick had to take a second look. Isobel was in her last year at a girl's school, and he felt in his gut that if he could find out who killed Isobel, he would finally be able to find out what happened to Fran.

This was a great mystery!

Hurrah for Damien Boyd!!!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Absolutely loved it. Nick Dixon and Jane Winter are among my all time favourite characters. His was a compelling tale and kept me guessing right to the end. It's not often I read a book in just over a day but this was one of those books that keeps you wanting more till it's finished.

[Heather Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read in his series. A five this time. Loving Dixon. Loving Jane. And Lewis. Great characters. Good plots. What more do we need when reading a series such as this.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally read series books soclose together, but there's something about these that compel me to keep picking them out of my now very large collection of ebooks. Unfortunately I only have one left. They are quick, well plotted and with appealing characters.
Nick and Jane return from a holiday, only a few weeks after the events of Kick Back, to discover a 17 year old girl has been murdered at a posh boarding school in Taunton. When Nick sees the photo, it takes him back to his own school days in the same town, when his girlfriend mysteriously disappeared. She looked identical to the murdered girl. The police decide to send him in undercover so he pretends to be a trainee teacher, and has to deal with the memories of the past while he solves the crime.
I guessed the killer as soon as they were introduced but that didn't matter. This was probably my favourite of the series so far.

[Elizabeth Ducie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth outing for DI Nick Dixon and definitely the best yet. The murder of a teenage girl leads to Dixon going undercover at a local Boarding School. But what he hides from his superiors is that this case bears chilling links to his own childhood and another case that needs solving. There is more from Dixon's partner, DC Jane Winter and from faithful companion, Monty. DCI Lewis continues to provide support in the background; and there is a sprinkling of other detectives with varying degrees of incompetence. A classic crime thriller in fact. And set in the West Country with great attention to details. This is one of those books where you read faster and faster as you approach the end. I was gripped. Highly recommended.

[Rosemary Dreyer]

3 3/4 Stars: Another great novel in the Nick Dixon series. What I liked: getting to really know the fully realized character Nick Dixon; the complicated plot that kept me guessing; the high action scenes; the police drama; the writing. What I didn’t like: sometimes things were a little convoluted and unrealistic; there were more typos and mis-used words; I hated the abrupt ending. Overall, I’m loving this series. On to the next one.

[Ron Chicaferro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth Detective Inspector Nick Dixon book and I've loved all if them. (You have to be careful saying his name - I've caught myself saying Dick Nixon at times) - Dixon is a diabetic - loves mountain climbing and is a super smart cop. This case is about the murder of a young girl at a private school. Nick goes undercover as a teacher to try and find out what happened. He is ably assisted by his girlfriend who is a detective constable - but the work comes first - (unless he's walking his dog then that comes first) - Dixon is a very likable character - he's upstanding in the British way but not afraid to mix it up with the villains. You'll think about the suspects as Nick investigates. Then there is another murder at the school and the pressure builds - Dixon thinks that the murders tie back to the murder of another school girl from 17 years ago when Dixon attended the school - no one less than his girlfriend and fiancee! The ending is very exciting and you'll find yourself holding your breath. A super book!

[Gerald Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book I have read by this author, it was ok. It didn’t really grab my attention but it was readable. I’m not sure yet if I will read any more in the series. So, DI Nick Dixon goes undercover in a school to investigate the murder of a young girl with similarities to the murder of his own girlfriend while they were both attending a nearby school years earlier. Can he solve the murder and perhaps find the killer of his girlfriend which still haunts him?

[Si Braybrooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a student is found murdered DI Nick Dixon has to revisit his past and open old wounds in the 4th book of this crime series by Damian Boyd.

Having ploughed through the first 3 books of this series in a matter of weeks last year I'd been waiting for this for a long time, and it didn't disappoint.

The character of Nick Dixon is one that is easy to identify with for many people, incorporating the politics of the job with the need to get the job done unhindered by red tape.

I'm especially fond of books that use real places such as towns or landmarks as reference points and Damian Boyd does this in buckets with his series all set in the South West of the UK. This not only gives an immediate connection through recognisable place names but helps envisage the environments he's trying to convey.

The story throws you in quickly, picking up pace from the first few chapters and finding a speed that leaves you struggling to put the book down - which is a trait of all the previous books, and one I love!

There is no need to read the previous books in the series before this one as the story is self contained, however there are nice references to reward loyal fans - such as Nicks girlfriend DC Jane Winter and his Staffordshire Bull Terrier Monty - and the continuing develop of other recurring characters.

I was so glad when I found this series by chance as I believe that Damian Boyd is an excellent British author who has taken an approach that makes it easy to warm to his main protagonist and leaves you wanting more after each book.

This is another action packed instalment that hasn't lost any of the enjoyment of previous books.

I received an advance copy through NetGalley, however the the previous 3 I read were all brought or free through Amazon UK

[Trish R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read and listen..


This is about the death of a 17 year old girl at a boarding school, where Dixon goes undercover to find a killer, only to discover there’s been another murder soon after his arrival. Then someone tries to kill Dixon. A lot of killing going on again. And I’m surprised there’s not more cops killed since they don’t have guns, only the bad guys do. Every time he has to have back-up he calls for armed men. That seems kind of crazy to me. Someone’s firing at him and 6 young boys out in the woods and he can’t even fire back?

So, this is the 4th of the 5 Nick Dixon books I’ve read and in EVERY book Dixon’s poor dog, Monty, is always kept in Dixon’s car. Every time he goes to work Monty’s in the car. How cruel is that? I mean, he’s a cop, for Pete’s sake. He’s at work for really long periods of time, and he keeps the dog closed up in a car? That’ doesn’t make a bit of sense.

Anyway, this was another good read and it had an exciting ending, and a surprising one, too. I would have never guessed who the killer was.

As with all Mr. Boyd’s book there isn’t even a touch of romance BUT there is swearing and the F-bomb was used 17 times.

As to the narration: I’ve enjoyed all 4 of these books, mostly because of the narration I think. Napoleon Ryan is such a fantastic narrator. The men’s and women’s voices are all so perfect.

[Kristi | Hidden Staircase | · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the fourth in the DI Nick Dixon series, Swansong is my first outing with this detective.

I needed to suspend reality just a bit to stay on board with this story at the beginning. Nick makes a huge leap early on in the book, linking the murder of Isobel Swan to the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend 17 years earlier. There really was no evidence to connect the crimes, other than the two girls looked virtually identical and they both were sixth years in similar boarding schools.

Once you accept this premise, the book is a fast-paced page turner. Dixon’s past merges nicely with the present case as he goes undercover in the boarding school as a trainee teacher getting two weeks of work experience before the term ends. (Being an American, I wondered does a two week stint at a boarding school in England really count towards teaching experience?)

Looking back, I’m not sure if enough clues were dropped for the armchair detective to correctly deduce the murderer, but still a fun ride.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review from my blog, Hidden Staircase.

[Anne Monteith · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book Nick is sent undercover as a teacher to discover who brutally murdered a young female student. This is the best book in the series so far, because we learn more about Nick and the demons from his past that he must now deal with these things that he has kept locked up for so long. This book lets you care more about him by giving us a back-story and insight into his life before he was a police officer.

Since the series is set in England where the police don’t carry guns there are no shoot-outs. Instead, you have sold police work. The best way I can think of to describe the series is that it’s a thinking persons novel that keeps your attention until you are surprised at the conclusion.

4.25 STARS **Receiving a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley did not influence my rating or review of this book; all opinions are my own.**

[Alaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is just least favourite book in the Nick Dixon series. I think it didn't give the reader much to go on to figure out the murderer. Also private schools as a context for the story are not that interesting.

[Megan Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the 4th book in this series and it has to be my least favourite. While it was a quick read I wasn’t really invested in the characters so the reveal in the end didn’t that that’s much ‘Wow’ factor.

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read.

[Rich B · Rating 2 out of 5]

The fourth book in this series. Had been a long time since reading the third one, which I remember thinking wasn’t that great. These books seem to get lots of positive reviews, which I don’t really understand. So far, finding this series average at best.

To be fair, this was better than the previous book. But overall, was still left feeling a bit underwhelmed. Not the worst, but nothing very special.

It doesn’t help the lead character DI Nick Dixon is so boorish. He steamrollers over people all the time, and seems to have little to no empathy. He’s one of those characters who’s always right, and everyone else is always wrong. Very one-dimensional, and not very likeable.

In this book, he goes undercover as a teacher in an up-market private school after a teenage girl is found murdered. But he seems to not really understand what undercover means. He keeps breaking cover to talk to his police colleagues. How no-one really picks up he’s really a cop is hard to believe.

There’s a link back to an old disappearance / murder of a girl from when he was younger and at school himself. Don’t remember any mention of this backstory in the previous books though, and it feels very convoluted.

Then there’s his sidekick / girlfriend Jane Winter, a character so bland and wishy-washy, you almost forget she exists. She mostly seems to be in this one so she can get into a perilous situation at the end of the story, and Nick can dive into save her. It feels like a damsel in distress set-up of the type which went out of fashion decades ago.

It’s good the story finally acknowledges a senior police detective sleeping with someone in his team would be breaking police HR rules. Though, it doesn’t seem to stop them carrying on pretty much as they were before.

The plot’s mainly about the link between the present day murder and the historic murder. There’s lots of different characters / potential murderers among the teachers and other staff. It was OK, but quite cliched and not all that engaging. One of the victims even leaves a clue half-written in the dirt, which made it feel like an old Agatha Christie plot.

There were too many wild jumps in the police logic and too many out of the blue assertions to make it an engaging read. Plus a load of irrelevant details that spoiled the pace. Not sure we needed to know what time he set the alarm on his iPhone every day. That made no real difference to the plot. There were also so many descriptions of different parts of the school, it left me a bit confused.

Overall, not that great. Only read it if you’ve enjoyed the ones before.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

DCI Nick Dixon has just returned from a short holiday at Cypres when he’s informed of the murder of a sixth form student. Isobel Swan looks identical to Nick’s high school girlfriend who went missing mysteriously in their lower sixth form year. Nick goes undercover as a teacher at the school and all too soon there’s another murder and everything becomes far more personal and complicated.

This is the fourth novel in the DCI Nick Dixon series, and I’ve been really enjoying these books. While there is a bit of history between Dixon and his colleague/girlfriend Jane and other members of their team, I feel the story can definitely be read as a standalone story. The plot and everything surrounding it including the muddiness created by Dixon’s personal take on the crime is all very well explained and handled and I feel readers should be able to easily pick this up without having read any of the previous installments.

I found this to be very much a police procedural style of mystery novel and while I didn’t think there was anything too unique or fresh about it, I nevertheless found it thoroughly enjoyable. Readers looking for something new or envelope pushing won’t find that here – but for a solid, well plotted and interesting mystery I really feel this book fits the bill. I did wonder a little about how much leeway Dixon was given by his superiors considering his very personal agenda for this murder – to be honest I didn’t find it overly realistic – but I did enjoy the fact that (as a bit of a change) Dixon’s bosses had a lot of faith and confidence in his abilities and were willing to trust him. I find it a bit of a cliché when there’s an overly antagonistic relationship between a detective and his superiors, so it was definitely a nice change to read the other side to this coin.

Readers looking for a solid British based murder mystery novel should absolutely find this as enjoyable as I did. I’m eager to read more by this author and will happily continue with this series.

[Cidney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gather this is book 4 and I have another 2 so I might be reading this well out of order! A young teenage girl, Isobel Swan, is found in the grounds of the private co-ed boarding school she attends. This has echoes of the death of another teenager from that school 17yrs previously, and that girl was named Fran and the girlfriend of DI Nick Dixon who is now going undercover at the school passing as a trainee teacher there for 2 wks before the school breaks up. He went to that school as a boarder too but that was over 17yrs ago and before his girlfriend was found like Isobel in the grounds with her wedding ring finger cut off. Clearly here's a man with a hatred of young girls on their way to be married in the future, as if cutting their ring fingers off will help, you can just wear the ring on another finger instead.

Nick is trailing around Phillips the teacher who's taken him under his wing and I really like this man more than Nick instead! The plot does go on a bit and Nick ends up going on a long walk with the young cadets being split up into groups. They are part way through the walk when they find themselves being shot at, Nick calls it in very quickly that they need armed response and police and ambulances all at once. Nick thinks he now knows who the killer is but not the why. In fact when I do know the 'why' I found myself not that interested in the 'why'.

I think with all that had been going on in the school the past week I had battle fatigue with trying to keep up with the plots.I felt like that woman in Gogglebox who needed a pen and notepad to write down all the details in now what was that longstanding drama called, one I never actually watched! But I did watch gogglebox!

[Anne Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A seventeen year old girl has been found murdered and left in a drainage ditch on the outskirts of her boarding school’s grounds. The team working on it has found nothing after nine days. The powers that be decide they need a new angle and that they need to send someone in to the school working undercover as a trainee teacher. Nick Dixon is the obvious choice as he attended a different but local boarding school and it’s felt he will know how to blend in better. Only the headmaster knows his true identity.

As soon as Nick looks at the case, he realises this killer has killed before. Seventeen years ago Nick’s school girlfriend, Fran, disappeared and her body was never found. Fran looks exactly like the new victim, Isobel. We know what happened to Isobel from the prologue and it does not make for pleasant reading. If Nick admits his connection to Fran’s death, he will be taken off the case. He will not allow that to happen. After all these years he needs to catch the killer himself to achieve closure. He only tells Jane the truth and she backs him all the way.

Nick begins his investigation assuming that the killer is most likely to be someone who worked at his school when Fran was killed and who no works at Isobel’s school. He also cannot rule out the local driving instructor who taught both girls. Eliminating suspects becomes easier when one of those involved is killed. When an attempt is made on Nick’s life, the original team are ready to throw the book at them. But Nick knows he’s not there yet and only the truth will do for Nick.

[Ian Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Swansong” by Damian Boyd (2015) Kindle Edition

Overall Rating 8/10 – Very Compelling

Plot
A girl is murdered in a strange way at a private school and Dixon (of course) is called in to act as an undercover teacher to discover what is going on. Pretty quickly, Dixon spots some similarities to a historical case when his first fiancée went missing at his own Private school back in the day … Can he find the murderer before the act is committed again and before his own superiors realise he is withholding crucial information?

Writing Style
High School writing. Simple, no bells, no whistles, no flavour. Pretty much written as a 1st person narrative but done in the 3rd person.

Point of View
Written in the 3rd Person / Present Tense (virtual protagonist narrative)

Critique
The author has a certain way about his writing that does seem to be unique. In one sense you might imagine that his style is juvenile and, yet, in another, it isn’t. You will find no flowers, no aromas and no adornments of any kind. Yet, it is compelling. This “whodunnit” was kicked off with a strange murder. Whether by accident or design, I realised immediately who the murderer was (or would be) and spent the whole book waiting for confirmation (which I did get at the end). I don’t know whether this was a good thing or not. It certainly meant that I read it in a different manner to a normal crime novel. Of course, not everyone will come to the same conclusion. Try it yourself and see what you think!

[Robert Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The murder of boarding school girl, Isobel Owen, brings back unhappy memories for DI Dixon, who many years before attended a nearby school. The love of his life at the time disappeared without trace. Now he’s back, sent to work undercover when the Isobel Owen investigation stalls. Not only is he reminded of his schooldays, there are teachers and staff who were also at his old school. Will any of them recognise him and blow his cover?

It’s not long before there’s a second murder, this time of a caretaker who worked at Dixon’s former school. It’s too much of a coincidence to be a random killing. As the pressure mounts and Dixon’s identity is no longer secure, time is running out to identify and arrest the killer.

Investigations that involve a personal element are always more interesting as the stakes are higher. The additional personal element often spills into the investigation, adding an additional strain on the investigator and his colleagues.

This personal element lifts the story as DI Dixon struggles with old memories and wounds, forcing him to dig deep. This emotional element was particularly well-handled, pulling me into the story from the start until the end, when I was turning the pages, eager to find out how it would all end.

It’s a cracking read with an interesting plot, engaging characters, plenty of conflict and tension, and an exciting climax to round it all off. Top marks to the author for the high quality of writing and narrative in this addictive story. Definitely the best book in the series so far.

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I think made this book more intriguing is that Dixon has his past come into play. We finally see him more human and less investigator. Here he goes undercover at a place he knew from a heartbreaking moment in his past. Not only did he have this but he had to deal with his unresolved feelings while trying to find who killed these kids now and in a way in his past. His present and past get blurred together as he finds a killer, deals with unresolved emotion, says goodbye, let his future open up more and closes a chapter all while putting his job and life at risk.

i love how he is able to see things from the eye of the student and as an inspector as he learns the secrets around him.

The story was alluring, intriguing and entertaining as you learn about Dixon and empathize with him while rooting him on to find the killer and gain closure as well. Full of secrets,twists and peace for many in the end I couldn't put it down for I loved seeing the more real and vulnerable side of Dixon as we learn about him and he solves the murder or is it murders...hmmm.

[Emma.catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far my favourite Nick Dixon book to date. I’ve been working my way through the Nick Dixon series over the past few months and although I have enjoyed the previous crime stories I felt much more connected and involved throughout this novel.

As with many great books, this crime has a tie to the past...There’s a murder at a boarding school...Nick goes undercover as a teacher to investigate, only to find out that it has stronger ties to his past than he would have liked. The plot was much more fleshed out than the previous books which made it a more intriguing read.

Throughout Swansong we also learn more about Nick’s personal life and his relationships which I find makes connecting with the book easier and makes for an overall more enjoyable read.

This has certainly set a new standard for the Nick Dixon series and I look forward to reading the next one.

[Gary Dowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another series that I've returned to after a couple of years as Somerset based DI Nick Dixon is tasked into looking into the death of a teenage girl at a local boarding school. As a previous boarder, albeit at a different school, Dixon goes undercover as a supply teacher to try and get some inside information, however it isn't long before his own tragic past resurfaces dramatically.
I really enjoyed this fast paced police procedure story with the reader collecting pieces of the story alongside Dixon. There were quite a lot of new characters to get used to, especially at the school, but you soon get used to who was maybe a primary character (suspect) and who probably wouldn't be. Set fairly local to me (I recognised certain areas in the finale) and a strong whodunnit. Definitely recommended

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bet you have the wrong suspect too..........

Another neat twist in the tail. I usually have a reasonable idea of the perpetrator's identity, but not this time.

Again, you do need to read this series in order. Anyone who found they could not get on with the climbing terms in a previous novel and would not read any others by the same author need to have a rethink. There are 2 very vague references to climbing, these are location rather than grades of climbs. I think that anyone who enjoys a whodunnit would enjoy this book. It's not overly long. Since it is now 03.57, I think it is time I put DI Dixon to bed and I actually got to sleep, but I did want to find out who the guilty party was😴