What do you think?
Rate this book
Calladine & Bayliss #1
Dead Wrong
First a shooting, then a grisly discovery on the common . . .
A bag of severed fingers is found in the playground by a rough housing estate.
Police partners, Detective Inspector Tom Calladine and Detective Sergeant Ruth Bayliss race against time to track down a killer before the whole area erupts in violence.
Their boss thinks it’s all down to drug lord Ray Fallon, but Calladine’s instincts say something far nastier is happening on the Hobfield housing estate.
Can this duo track down the murderer before anyone else dies and the press publicize the gruesome crimes?
Calladine and Bayliss are led on a trail which gets dangerously close to home. In a thrilling finale they race to rescue someone very close to Calladine’s heart.
A bag of severed fingers is found in the playground by a rough housing estate.
Police partners, Detective Inspector Tom Calladine and Detective Sergeant Ruth Bayliss race against time to track down a killer before the whole area erupts in violence.
Their boss thinks it’s all down to drug lord Ray Fallon, but Calladine’s instincts say something far nastier is happening on the Hobfield housing estate.
Can this duo track down the murderer before anyone else dies and the press publicize the gruesome crimes?
Calladine and Bayliss are led on a trail which gets dangerously close to home. In a thrilling finale they race to rescue someone very close to Calladine’s heart.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2013
2151 people are currently reading
2537 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews
November 20, 2015
“Dead Wrong” by Helen H. Durrant, is the first in a new series of detective thrillers featuring police partners , D.I. Tom Calladine and D.S. Ruth Bayliss. I decided to read these three books in the series; Dead Wrong, Dead Silent and Dead List, before I started a new series by this author (Dark Murder). This is my first read of any novel by author Helen H Durrant but I was drawn in by her writing style and flawed but believable characters.
Tom Calladine is a single, divorced, fifty-one-year-old detective inspector who is totally devoted to his job. His personal life, however, is not so successful.
Ruth Bayliss is in her mid-thirties, very blunt and loyal. She uses her demanding workload as an excuse not to try too hard with the men she meets.
The series is set in the village of Leesdon on the outskirts of Manchester, English, on the Hobfield housing estate, a “cesspit” breeding ground to drug rival gangs and crime activity. Was there a turf war raging on the Estate?
“A bag of severed fingers is found in the playground by a rough housing estate”
D.I. Calladine and D.S. Ruth Bayliss must race against time to track down a killer before the whole area erupts in violence. The evidence was cryptic in nature.
“Whoever is doing this is meticulous. He’s left no biological trace whatsoever.”
I enjoyed this detective thriller novel, and I think this is going to be a great series. So on to the next one in the series, “Dead Silent”.
Tom Calladine is a single, divorced, fifty-one-year-old detective inspector who is totally devoted to his job. His personal life, however, is not so successful.
Ruth Bayliss is in her mid-thirties, very blunt and loyal. She uses her demanding workload as an excuse not to try too hard with the men she meets.
The series is set in the village of Leesdon on the outskirts of Manchester, English, on the Hobfield housing estate, a “cesspit” breeding ground to drug rival gangs and crime activity. Was there a turf war raging on the Estate?
“A bag of severed fingers is found in the playground by a rough housing estate”
D.I. Calladine and D.S. Ruth Bayliss must race against time to track down a killer before the whole area erupts in violence. The evidence was cryptic in nature.
“Whoever is doing this is meticulous. He’s left no biological trace whatsoever.”
I enjoyed this detective thriller novel, and I think this is going to be a great series. So on to the next one in the series, “Dead Silent”.
August 6, 2017
I listened to this on audio and it's a good, well paced police procedural. It kept my interest throughout. This is a bit gruesome, so not for the faint of heart. Happy to see that this is the first in a series of seven. I've already ordered the next in the series.
Jonathan Keeble was a great narrator with ana amazing ability to make each voice unique.
Jonathan Keeble was a great narrator with ana amazing ability to make each voice unique.
April 24, 2020
This was a new author for me, although one I had heard great things about her books.
I was instantly grabbed by the throat and pulled in by her writing style. I loved both lead detectives, they were both flawed but strong and believable.
The plot was very strong for the first in the series, although it is graphically violent and is not for the faint-hearted. I was certain quite early on as to who the culprit was, but had frequent doubts, as more information was provided. Not saying if I was right or wrong!
If you are looking for a relatively short read that will grab you and hold your attention you could do much worse than Dead Wrong. I will be looking out for the next book in the series
I was instantly grabbed by the throat and pulled in by her writing style. I loved both lead detectives, they were both flawed but strong and believable.
The plot was very strong for the first in the series, although it is graphically violent and is not for the faint-hearted. I was certain quite early on as to who the culprit was, but had frequent doubts, as more information was provided. Not saying if I was right or wrong!
If you are looking for a relatively short read that will grab you and hold your attention you could do much worse than Dead Wrong. I will be looking out for the next book in the series
August 20, 2015
I'm surprised how this book hooked me and drew me in. If there's a problem that DI Tom Calladine doesn't have, I can't think of it. He's got an ex-wife, an ailing mother, a supposed girlfriend, a murderer, an incompetent boss, a DS that's too close personally, and more that would be giving too much away. His internal thinking might lead you to believe he's bumbling, and maybe he is at times, but I really liked him!
There are gruesome murders and I figured out the perpetrator early on. Of course, I didn't know for sure until the end, and it didn't ruin the story for me. The setting was a low-income estate with all its inherent problems and mistrust of the police. That was depressing.
At the end of this book, there is mention of a second in the series. I will have to check it out.
There are gruesome murders and I figured out the perpetrator early on. Of course, I didn't know for sure until the end, and it didn't ruin the story for me. The setting was a low-income estate with all its inherent problems and mistrust of the police. That was depressing.
At the end of this book, there is mention of a second in the series. I will have to check it out.
November 11, 2015
3 stars upgraded to 3 1/2
I was waiting to be gripped...and it never really happened.
Don't get me wrong, this is not a bad book. The story line is good. It is well written. It just failed to grip me like it should have and like I expected it to. I never quite got that excited, "go away, leave me alone, I am reading a really good book" feeling, which was a pity as the storyline shows so much promise.
First there is a shooting, then a bag of severed fingers is found on a swing in a children's playground, closely followed by other bags of body parts strewn about.
Is this the start of a drug war on this impoverished housing estate...or is there something more sinister going on?
D I Calladine believes it is nothing to do with the drug war, that the answers lie buried firmly in the past, but his boss disagrees. So not only does he have a boss who can't see the wood for the trees to contend with, but there is the problem of Monika, his on-again/off again girlfriend, and friend of his DS Ruth Bayliss who seems determined to keep them together.
I can't quite put my finger on what was missing from this read for me. And I have pondered it for the past 24 hours.....Whatever it was, it won't put me off reading more from Helen Durrant. It appears that this was her first book, and for that stellar effort I have awarded her the extra half a star!
Thank you to NetGalley, Joffe Books and Helen Durrant for the gift of a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was waiting to be gripped...and it never really happened.
Don't get me wrong, this is not a bad book. The story line is good. It is well written. It just failed to grip me like it should have and like I expected it to. I never quite got that excited, "go away, leave me alone, I am reading a really good book" feeling, which was a pity as the storyline shows so much promise.
First there is a shooting, then a bag of severed fingers is found on a swing in a children's playground, closely followed by other bags of body parts strewn about.
Is this the start of a drug war on this impoverished housing estate...or is there something more sinister going on?
D I Calladine believes it is nothing to do with the drug war, that the answers lie buried firmly in the past, but his boss disagrees. So not only does he have a boss who can't see the wood for the trees to contend with, but there is the problem of Monika, his on-again/off again girlfriend, and friend of his DS Ruth Bayliss who seems determined to keep them together.
I can't quite put my finger on what was missing from this read for me. And I have pondered it for the past 24 hours.....Whatever it was, it won't put me off reading more from Helen Durrant. It appears that this was her first book, and for that stellar effort I have awarded her the extra half a star!
Thank you to NetGalley, Joffe Books and Helen Durrant for the gift of a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2018
Detective Inspector Tom Calladine and Detective Sergeant Ruth Bayliss were called to a gruesome find at the local playground in Leesdon, England. A plastic bag with human fingers inside was the beginning of a horrific and brutal crime spree by a psychopathic killer who had no thought for his victims. Calladine and Bayliss were sure the crime was connected to the Hobfield housing estate where drug sales, criminals and the poor came together in one big area of poverty and illegal activities.
With much worse to follow, nothing much to go on and personal issues getting in the way, Calladine was frustrated but determined to catch the maniac who was terrorizing Leesdon. But could he? Would they apprehend him before anyone else died? And what was the motive?
Dead Wrong by Helen H. Durrant is the 1st in the Calladine and Bayliss series, and my first by this author. It moves along at a cracking pace, with enough twists and turns to keep the pages flying by – the grisly murders are a little unpleasant; the twist at the end was unexpected. Recommended to fans of psychological thrillers.
With much worse to follow, nothing much to go on and personal issues getting in the way, Calladine was frustrated but determined to catch the maniac who was terrorizing Leesdon. But could he? Would they apprehend him before anyone else died? And what was the motive?
Dead Wrong by Helen H. Durrant is the 1st in the Calladine and Bayliss series, and my first by this author. It moves along at a cracking pace, with enough twists and turns to keep the pages flying by – the grisly murders are a little unpleasant; the twist at the end was unexpected. Recommended to fans of psychological thrillers.
December 16, 2021
When Detective Inspector Tom Calladine and Sergeant Ruth Bayliss were called to the local playground in Leesdon, England they were faced with a spine chilling find. A plastic bag with severed human fingers, but now the race was on for Calladine and Bayliss to find the killer and being that it was a rough area where there was plenty of violence and crime they were going to have their work cut out for them.
Dead Wrong by Helen H. Durrant is the first book in the Calladine and Bayliss series and what a great start to the series. A book that has your attention right from the start and with twists towards the end you don’t see coming is well worth reading in my opinion. Recommended.
Dead Wrong by Helen H. Durrant is the first book in the Calladine and Bayliss series and what a great start to the series. A book that has your attention right from the start and with twists towards the end you don’t see coming is well worth reading in my opinion. Recommended.
July 13, 2016
Helen H. Durrant may have called her Tom Calladine-Ruth Bayliss series debut Dead Wrong, but in my eyes, she got it dead right. I had my doubts initially, especially when it opens with some grisly scenes. It took me a while to engage, but once D.I. Calladine and his sidekick D.S. Bayliss got down to business, I settled in and the pages started flying by.
When a bag of severed fingers is found in a park and later more “evidence,” the knee-jerk reaction is that it surely must be gang and drug-related. Fortunately, Calladine has better instincts at detecting than he has for managing his personal life! He knows a thing or two about police work, and his experience and instincts tell him that this is not what it appears. Bayliss makes a good teammate. She too has problems with her social life – basically, she has none – but as a detective, she and Calladine seem to be on the same wavelength.
Ms. Durrant has done a great job keeping the pace going, jumping between scenes of the twisted perp carrying out his dastardly deeds and Tom treading water in attempt to handle his frazzled love life and his demented mother. Then we also have him managing the investigation in spite of his inept supervisor. Perhaps it was because I was distracted and didn’t pay attention to details in the early going, but I was totally surprised when the killer was revealed.
Am I going to read the next book in this series? I certainly plan to! Do I recommend this one? Not to would be – well, it would be Dead Wrong!
4 stars
When a bag of severed fingers is found in a park and later more “evidence,” the knee-jerk reaction is that it surely must be gang and drug-related. Fortunately, Calladine has better instincts at detecting than he has for managing his personal life! He knows a thing or two about police work, and his experience and instincts tell him that this is not what it appears. Bayliss makes a good teammate. She too has problems with her social life – basically, she has none – but as a detective, she and Calladine seem to be on the same wavelength.
Ms. Durrant has done a great job keeping the pace going, jumping between scenes of the twisted perp carrying out his dastardly deeds and Tom treading water in attempt to handle his frazzled love life and his demented mother. Then we also have him managing the investigation in spite of his inept supervisor. Perhaps it was because I was distracted and didn’t pay attention to details in the early going, but I was totally surprised when the killer was revealed.
Am I going to read the next book in this series? I certainly plan to! Do I recommend this one? Not to would be – well, it would be Dead Wrong!
4 stars
August 9, 2017
Dead Wrong is the first in the Calladine and Bayliss series. I've had this book for some time and came across it whilst scrolling through on my Kindle. Sooo many books! *sigh*
Set in a fictional village called Leesford DI Calladine and DS Bayliss are called in to investigate when severed fingers are found in a playground on a rough housing estate. Known for it's drug dealing, the Hobfield estate is rundown and decrepit with not much going for it except criminal activity on every corner. Fearing that the fingers are gangland related Calladine approaches his cousin, Fallon, a vicious drug kingpin serving a sentence for his criminal empire. Not that being in prison halts business in anyway! A series of events leads to paths away from Fallon therefore a race is on to track down what has now become a serial killer on their patch.
Dead Wrong is a fairly solid read which and a quick one at less than 200 pages. It actually read like an episode of a crime drama because of it's length so there's no in depth fleshing out or wasted words anywhere. If anything it felt a bit stilted at times. Told from Calladine's perspective I was a bit perturbed on his description of anything remotely female. Weight seemed to play a big part!! Get over it man!! There's more to a woman than how many pounds she's carrying! At this point I'm not sure how I feel about Calladine, in fact not much is known about any of them. Not much to throw an opinion stick at anyway.
All in all it's a quick read that's easily flown through. Am I going to read anymore? Hhmmm ..... don't know yet. A quick, short read to pass an evening can be appealing at times. I'll see.
Set in a fictional village called Leesford DI Calladine and DS Bayliss are called in to investigate when severed fingers are found in a playground on a rough housing estate. Known for it's drug dealing, the Hobfield estate is rundown and decrepit with not much going for it except criminal activity on every corner. Fearing that the fingers are gangland related Calladine approaches his cousin, Fallon, a vicious drug kingpin serving a sentence for his criminal empire. Not that being in prison halts business in anyway! A series of events leads to paths away from Fallon therefore a race is on to track down what has now become a serial killer on their patch.
Dead Wrong is a fairly solid read which and a quick one at less than 200 pages. It actually read like an episode of a crime drama because of it's length so there's no in depth fleshing out or wasted words anywhere. If anything it felt a bit stilted at times. Told from Calladine's perspective I was a bit perturbed on his description of anything remotely female. Weight seemed to play a big part!! Get over it man!! There's more to a woman than how many pounds she's carrying! At this point I'm not sure how I feel about Calladine, in fact not much is known about any of them. Not much to throw an opinion stick at anyway.
All in all it's a quick read that's easily flown through. Am I going to read anymore? Hhmmm ..... don't know yet. A quick, short read to pass an evening can be appealing at times. I'll see.
September 18, 2015
This is set on a low income estate where in itself reap problems and we hear there are more crimes committed than anywhere else.
This book opens with a 'grab you by the throat and pulls you in' kind of start, which I absolutely loved, that being said, I had to sit and read it in one sitting with hardly leaving my seat until I finished it.
I had an inclination as to who the culprit was, but to be sure, I just had to read to the end as you get left in doubt with your suspicion now and again saying "am I wrong? am I right?"
I don't think comparing her to Angela Marsons [author] was a great move, because Angela's books are just a little more 'accepting' for me as she does write very well and I do find Helen's books sometimes a little too far explained instead of realizing that the reader has a brain and can read between the lines, sometimes things are just a little too far explained.
There is a good introduction to the 'flawed' characters that will be around in this series and I am sure we are going to learn a lot more.
I just found some explainations a little irritating as it was just over done. Apart from this, I enjoyed the plot.
* Thank you to Joffe Books via net galley for my copy to read and review *
July 26, 2015
I received a forward copy of this book of Net Galley courtesy of Joffe books. This is my first read of any novel by author Helen H Durrant but was instantly drawn by her writing style in the first book of this new series. The novel opens strongly and continues in that fashion to the very end. Good quick read with strong characters that I am sure will develop further in time. Good start to a series I intend to read more of.
November 14, 2020
I really enjoyed this first read from this author,DI Tom Calladine and DI Ruth on a gruesome case a serial killer,A gruesome find of fingers.who is behind the killings.? This book was shorter than other crime books and fast paced read.Looking forward to this series.great read.recommend.
October 14, 2015
Solid story, believable characters, fast paced and strong plot. Looking forward to reading the other two books in the series.
July 6, 2020
I've read a few of Durant's novels now, (although a lot of them out of order) so I leapt at the chance to grab a few "first in series" books offered for nix by Joffe Books at the start of the pandemic.
I really enjoyed this compulsive read and it was great to finally get a chance to check out the characters right from the beginning. Calladine and Bayliss just work so well together, even though they are essentially loners who like to work things out on their own. And this was a rivetting, gruesome case to cut their teeth on!! While I worked out the person doing the killing and why fairly quickly, I didn't work out the big AHA moment until right at the end.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that has ensured I will go back and fill in the series with the books I haven't read.
I really enjoyed this compulsive read and it was great to finally get a chance to check out the characters right from the beginning. Calladine and Bayliss just work so well together, even though they are essentially loners who like to work things out on their own. And this was a rivetting, gruesome case to cut their teeth on!! While I worked out the person doing the killing and why fairly quickly, I didn't work out the big AHA moment until right at the end.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that has ensured I will go back and fill in the series with the books I haven't read.
April 6, 2018
Primo libro della serie. La storia si fa leggere velocemente e senza problemi. Però cavolo andare a capo decentemente sarebbe il minimo come fare il famoso double-check. Infatti ci sono un paio di capitoli cui hanno dimenticato lo stacco. Ultima frase capitolo-nuovo capitolo-prima frase nuovo capitolo. Bastava ributtarci un occhio prima di metterlo in vendita nello store.
Comunque se volete passarvi qualche oretta di dolce non far niente leggendo un libro veloce questo è uno di quelli.
Comunque se volete passarvi qualche oretta di dolce non far niente leggendo un libro veloce questo è uno di quelli.
July 17, 2015
Somebody is taking out the drug dealers....and killing them piece by piece. When a bag of fingers is found in the park, the detectives find 9 fingers and 3 thumbs. Because it is drug dealers, police are afraid that a turf war is beginning.
A few days later, body parts are found spread out over a large area. This is something the detectives have never seen before and DI Thomas Calladine believes these are personal attacks. They just need to find the connection among all the victims.
The writing is exact, taut. She has breathed life into her characters. DI Calladine is dealing with personal problems, as well as work problems. He has a girlfriend, of sorts, that he's trying to break up with. His elderly mother is in a home and is having some health problems. His second in command DS Ruth Bayliss makes a great cop, but she doesn't take any guff off him. Tom's commanding officer is incompetent. And then there's the beautiful news reporter who wants an exclusive.
This is first in a series. The next one in line is DEAD SILENT. I think it's going to be a terrifically good series.
My thanks to NetGalley / Joffe Books / for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest opinion.
A few days later, body parts are found spread out over a large area. This is something the detectives have never seen before and DI Thomas Calladine believes these are personal attacks. They just need to find the connection among all the victims.
The writing is exact, taut. She has breathed life into her characters. DI Calladine is dealing with personal problems, as well as work problems. He has a girlfriend, of sorts, that he's trying to break up with. His elderly mother is in a home and is having some health problems. His second in command DS Ruth Bayliss makes a great cop, but she doesn't take any guff off him. Tom's commanding officer is incompetent. And then there's the beautiful news reporter who wants an exclusive.
This is first in a series. The next one in line is DEAD SILENT. I think it's going to be a terrifically good series.
My thanks to NetGalley / Joffe Books / for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest opinion.
July 22, 2015
I'll preface this review by noting the huge role played by personal preference when you pick up a book. When I read the promotional blurb, this sounded right up my alley as I'm a big fan of police procedurals. The publisher even provides a subtitle to let you know it's "a gripping detective thriller full of suspense". Unfortunately, this was not for me. This makes a review difficult so I've split it into 2 parts, the plot & the characters, and will try to state my case without spoilers.
First, the main plot line. This is the book's strong suit. Body parts are popping up on the Hobfield Estate, a rundown housing development in the village of Leesdon. It's unlike anything the local coppers have dealt with & they suspect a turf war among rival gangs. But the reader knows differently as we spend time with the twisted killer in alternate chapters.
The estate is well described & you get a real sense of the hopelessness & resulting violence that flourishes in an environment of poverty & lost dreams.
It becomes a game of cat & mouse as police scramble for clues before the madman grabs another victim. I figured out who the killer was early on but the motivation for his spree wasn't clear 'til the end.
Second, the characters. This is weakest element of the book. Unfortunately, they are 2 dimensional at best & prone to actions that had me scratching my head, thinking "huh?"
DI Tom Calladine is the leader of his unit & we're told repeatedly he's smart & well regarded by his team. This was a bit of a mystery to me as many of his choices seemed more suitable for a rookie as opposed to a seasoned, experienced cop. We spend a lot of time in his head as he frets over every decision. You get a sense the author wants to portray him as an intelligent, decent guy but there's a real disconnect between that & his actions (particularly in regard to his personal life). I would have preferred a lot less "tell" & more "show". And just as an aside, I found his tendency to describe every female character in terms of her dress size a tad annoying.
Other characters don't fare much better as stereotypes prevail. You have Ruth, the single 30-ish cop (who would be so pretty if she just lost weight, according to Tom). And the DCI they report to comes across as an unreasonable & pompous buffoon without a clue. As a whole, the gangsters were better developed & more believable than those on the police force.
As for the investigation, I think I've been spoiled by reading authors such as Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Michael Connelly, Jo Nesbo & Louise Penny. Unfortunately, this makes errors in police procedure jump off the page. And my own background leads me to notice mistakes in medical practice. They're small details to be sure but easy to get right with research to avoid the plot taking a hit to its credibility.
So I guess it comes down to the unpredictable element of personal preference. All an author can do is write the story they want to tell & hope it finds its audience. It's kind of like dating. You don't hit it off with everyone you meet. But judging by other reviews, this book is finding compatible partners who now have a new series to look forward to. Enjoy!
First, the main plot line. This is the book's strong suit. Body parts are popping up on the Hobfield Estate, a rundown housing development in the village of Leesdon. It's unlike anything the local coppers have dealt with & they suspect a turf war among rival gangs. But the reader knows differently as we spend time with the twisted killer in alternate chapters.
The estate is well described & you get a real sense of the hopelessness & resulting violence that flourishes in an environment of poverty & lost dreams.
It becomes a game of cat & mouse as police scramble for clues before the madman grabs another victim. I figured out who the killer was early on but the motivation for his spree wasn't clear 'til the end.
Second, the characters. This is weakest element of the book. Unfortunately, they are 2 dimensional at best & prone to actions that had me scratching my head, thinking "huh?"
DI Tom Calladine is the leader of his unit & we're told repeatedly he's smart & well regarded by his team. This was a bit of a mystery to me as many of his choices seemed more suitable for a rookie as opposed to a seasoned, experienced cop. We spend a lot of time in his head as he frets over every decision. You get a sense the author wants to portray him as an intelligent, decent guy but there's a real disconnect between that & his actions (particularly in regard to his personal life). I would have preferred a lot less "tell" & more "show". And just as an aside, I found his tendency to describe every female character in terms of her dress size a tad annoying.
Other characters don't fare much better as stereotypes prevail. You have Ruth, the single 30-ish cop (who would be so pretty if she just lost weight, according to Tom). And the DCI they report to comes across as an unreasonable & pompous buffoon without a clue. As a whole, the gangsters were better developed & more believable than those on the police force.
As for the investigation, I think I've been spoiled by reading authors such as Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Michael Connelly, Jo Nesbo & Louise Penny. Unfortunately, this makes errors in police procedure jump off the page. And my own background leads me to notice mistakes in medical practice. They're small details to be sure but easy to get right with research to avoid the plot taking a hit to its credibility.
So I guess it comes down to the unpredictable element of personal preference. All an author can do is write the story they want to tell & hope it finds its audience. It's kind of like dating. You don't hit it off with everyone you meet. But judging by other reviews, this book is finding compatible partners who now have a new series to look forward to. Enjoy!
August 18, 2019
Book 1
I joined the Calladine and Bayliss series at Dead Jealous and reading the series from book 1 has been on my TBR list ever since. So I was thrilled to find a slot to go back to the beginning.
Usually I expect book 1 to be slow going with a lot of character building but Helen has successfully avoided this and the book moves along at an adrenaline pumping pace from beginning to end.
Calladine is DI, married to the job. His first marriage broke down in the early stages as Rachel couldn't cope with coming second. He is now in a relationship with Monika who works at the Care Home where his Mother lives. However, he isn't committed to the relationship. He is a good detective but he always looks for things that don't appear to be there and his team find this annoying but what is more annoying is that he is usually right.
Ruth Baylis is his Sargant and a dedicated one at that but she is methodical and deals with the facts in front of her. She is single and happily so and like Calladine is dedicated to her job.
We learn about the characters as part of the story. It is expertly done. The characters gain depth and complexity as the investigation unfolds with events prompting the look back into their backgrounds.
The story had me hooked from the prologue. It starts with school bullies which lead to a boy dying. The death is decided to be accidental but someone wants the bullies to pay for the part they played. When the first body parts turn up it has all the markings of a drug war but the reality is much worse. Who is killing the bullies and why now?
This is a gripping story full of twists and turns but the ending is a shock I never saw coming. This is a brilliant beginning to a bestselling series. Helen has set the foundations on which to build the series and I am thrilled to be along for the ride.
5 stars from me.
I joined the Calladine and Bayliss series at Dead Jealous and reading the series from book 1 has been on my TBR list ever since. So I was thrilled to find a slot to go back to the beginning.
Usually I expect book 1 to be slow going with a lot of character building but Helen has successfully avoided this and the book moves along at an adrenaline pumping pace from beginning to end.
Calladine is DI, married to the job. His first marriage broke down in the early stages as Rachel couldn't cope with coming second. He is now in a relationship with Monika who works at the Care Home where his Mother lives. However, he isn't committed to the relationship. He is a good detective but he always looks for things that don't appear to be there and his team find this annoying but what is more annoying is that he is usually right.
Ruth Baylis is his Sargant and a dedicated one at that but she is methodical and deals with the facts in front of her. She is single and happily so and like Calladine is dedicated to her job.
We learn about the characters as part of the story. It is expertly done. The characters gain depth and complexity as the investigation unfolds with events prompting the look back into their backgrounds.
The story had me hooked from the prologue. It starts with school bullies which lead to a boy dying. The death is decided to be accidental but someone wants the bullies to pay for the part they played. When the first body parts turn up it has all the markings of a drug war but the reality is much worse. Who is killing the bullies and why now?
This is a gripping story full of twists and turns but the ending is a shock I never saw coming. This is a brilliant beginning to a bestselling series. Helen has set the foundations on which to build the series and I am thrilled to be along for the ride.
5 stars from me.
February 24, 2016
(Updated February 24, 2016)
4 stars
I love how the books from this series are quick reads.
Okay, so I started this series by book 4 (
) but it didn't ruin my enjoyment of this at all. If anything, it made me feel like reading an origin story.This is a great detective thriller with all the elements that makes the genre fun: it's fast paced, intriguing, well plotted and well developed.
Calladine and Bayliss are great characters, smart and human, relatable in their doubts, wins and failures.
The hints for who was the perpetrator were well placed and it all came together making complete sense.
I already have the second book of the series waiting for me and I can't wait to read it.
***
Review also posted on my blog, Tiny Box of Imagination.
July 21, 2015
I picked this up because of the great reviews on here but it didn't work for me. The storyline was good but the writing tried too hard and it grated on my nerves. Everything was over explained in a way you often see with new authors and the speech didn't fit well with the characters. The people could have come out of a 'how to write police and baddies' guide and the whole book was peppered with them asking themselves internal questions, which may be a useful way of telling the reader what a character is thinking but becomes very irritating when used so frequently.
Thanks to Netgalley and Joffe Books for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and Joffe Books for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2024
An entertaining but sometimes rather grisly English police procedural that kept my interest but never distinguished itself.
The story is set in a small town in the Pennines, the hills that sit between Manchester and Sheffield. It's not one of those cute, gentrified, slightly-too-big-to-be-a-village-anymore kind of small town used in picturesque BritBox TV detective series. It's the kind of small town that went into decline when Thatcher took all the jobs away and then had the soul sucked out of it when town planners added a densely packed, badly built. poorly maintained towerblock-infested, socially stigmatised 'housing estate' into which they dumped the poorest and most vulnerable people and left them to rot.
The plot centres on the hunt for someone who is abducting, torturing, mutilating and murdering local drug dealers and then leaving plastic bags filled with their body parts in public places where they are sure to be found.
The violence in the book is graphic, detailed, inventive and fairly frequent. This is NOT a cosy mystery.
It seemed to me that 'Dead Wrong' had been configured from a standard set of British Police Procedural tropes and accurate but unsurprising 'It's-grim-up-North' social settings. The plot was clever enough to keep me guessing and the pace was tense enough to keep me listening but this was definitely the fast food version a police procedural.
'Dead Wrong' is the first in a series featuring DI Calladine and DS Bayliss. Their partnership and their respective backstories provide about half the content of the book. It seems that they are meant to be the reason for wanting to read the series. focused around a DI in his fifties who has worked in the same town all his life, will rise no further in the ranks although he's dedicated to his job and his team. He was married and divorced by the time he was twenty-one. He lacks the ability and perhaps the motivation to sustain a social life outside work. At work, he's a bit of a loner, he has a loyal team and a new boss who he doesn't respect. I know, it all sounds a little familiar doesn't it? But Helen Durrant managed to breathe life into it.
I listened to the whole book in a day and it kept me entertained throughout, even though the violence caught me by surprise and some of the clichés had me rolling my eyes. I mean, who ends a gritty novel with DI sitting alone, mulling over his life and finishing with, "Tomorrow is another day."?
Still, I may come back to this series the next time I want some unchallenging entertainment to engage with while I'm on a long drive.
The story is set in a small town in the Pennines, the hills that sit between Manchester and Sheffield. It's not one of those cute, gentrified, slightly-too-big-to-be-a-village-anymore kind of small town used in picturesque BritBox TV detective series. It's the kind of small town that went into decline when Thatcher took all the jobs away and then had the soul sucked out of it when town planners added a densely packed, badly built. poorly maintained towerblock-infested, socially stigmatised 'housing estate' into which they dumped the poorest and most vulnerable people and left them to rot.
The plot centres on the hunt for someone who is abducting, torturing, mutilating and murdering local drug dealers and then leaving plastic bags filled with their body parts in public places where they are sure to be found.
The violence in the book is graphic, detailed, inventive and fairly frequent. This is NOT a cosy mystery.
It seemed to me that 'Dead Wrong' had been configured from a standard set of British Police Procedural tropes and accurate but unsurprising 'It's-grim-up-North' social settings. The plot was clever enough to keep me guessing and the pace was tense enough to keep me listening but this was definitely the fast food version a police procedural.
'Dead Wrong' is the first in a series featuring DI Calladine and DS Bayliss. Their partnership and their respective backstories provide about half the content of the book. It seems that they are meant to be the reason for wanting to read the series. focused around a DI in his fifties who has worked in the same town all his life, will rise no further in the ranks although he's dedicated to his job and his team. He was married and divorced by the time he was twenty-one. He lacks the ability and perhaps the motivation to sustain a social life outside work. At work, he's a bit of a loner, he has a loyal team and a new boss who he doesn't respect. I know, it all sounds a little familiar doesn't it? But Helen Durrant managed to breathe life into it.
I listened to the whole book in a day and it kept me entertained throughout, even though the violence caught me by surprise and some of the clichés had me rolling my eyes. I mean, who ends a gritty novel with DI sitting alone, mulling over his life and finishing with, "Tomorrow is another day."?
Still, I may come back to this series the next time I want some unchallenging entertainment to engage with while I'm on a long drive.
April 16, 2018
Premetto... ho voluto essere mooooolto buona: le tre stelle sono arrotondate per eccesso (tanto!).
La storia inizia in maniera allettante, ma... Ahi! La scrittura, e non solo quella, non è delle migliori... O forse - chissà - dipende da una traduzione un po' superficiale (ad essere sempre buoni!), ma se alla base non c'è un buon tratto... la vedo dura ad infiocchettare!
Frasi e dialoghi stereotipati, situazioni già lette, indizi sparsi che - già da molto prima - conducono all'esito finale con la solita cavalleria a risolvere la situazione (anche se la damigella di turno - con abbondanza di fortuna - se la cava egregiamente da sola).
Anche i personaggi, mmmm...
Beh, lasciano molto a desiderare.
Banali, direi.
Tom e Ruth (i detective) costituiscono tutto sommato un buon tandem, anche se la più sveglia sembra lei (e anche maliziosetta, ma leale). Lui, invece, l'ho trovato alquanto suggestionabile, indeciso e insofferente e ha reso un po' insofferente anche me.
Ma voglio lasciare aperta una chance per un eventuale secondo capitolo della storia.
La storia inizia in maniera allettante, ma... Ahi! La scrittura, e non solo quella, non è delle migliori... O forse - chissà - dipende da una traduzione un po' superficiale (ad essere sempre buoni!), ma se alla base non c'è un buon tratto... la vedo dura ad infiocchettare!
Frasi e dialoghi stereotipati, situazioni già lette, indizi sparsi che - già da molto prima - conducono all'esito finale con la solita cavalleria a risolvere la situazione (anche se la damigella di turno - con abbondanza di fortuna - se la cava egregiamente da sola).
Anche i personaggi, mmmm...
Beh, lasciano molto a desiderare.
Banali, direi.
Tom e Ruth (i detective) costituiscono tutto sommato un buon tandem, anche se la più sveglia sembra lei (e anche maliziosetta, ma leale). Lui, invece, l'ho trovato alquanto suggestionabile, indeciso e insofferente e ha reso un po' insofferente anche me.
Ma voglio lasciare aperta una chance per un eventuale secondo capitolo della storia.
May 25, 2016
I've had this on my TBR mountain for quite a while now, but when I noticed that an audio version is now available AND it was read by Jonathan Keeble (whom I discovered and whose narration I fell in love with last week while listening to A Tapping at my Door), it moved straight to the top.
I've previously read Dark Murder by Helen Durrant and my feelings about this one are a bit similar. Dead Wrong is a pretty standard police procedural but it never completely gripped me. It's the first book in the DI Tom Calladine and DS Ruth Bayliss series set in the North of England.
I thought the description of the setting, a low-income housing estate/scheme, was very well done and realistic. The murder scenes were grisly, but the plot was fairly predictable. The perpetrator was obvious from early on and the developments in Carradine's personal life - apart from one twist at the end - were never unexpected. It was all quite customary stuff: middle-aged detective married to his job and relying on his "intuition", who has an ineffective superior but a devoted female sidekick (whose weight issues could have been omitted).
As a really quick read/listen (189 pages), it's solid enough entertainment and I intend to carry on with book 2, Dead Silent, but mainly because I can't get enough of the narrator and it's just an easy quick read for in-between.
I've previously read Dark Murder by Helen Durrant and my feelings about this one are a bit similar. Dead Wrong is a pretty standard police procedural but it never completely gripped me. It's the first book in the DI Tom Calladine and DS Ruth Bayliss series set in the North of England.
I thought the description of the setting, a low-income housing estate/scheme, was very well done and realistic. The murder scenes were grisly, but the plot was fairly predictable. The perpetrator was obvious from early on and the developments in Carradine's personal life - apart from one twist at the end - were never unexpected. It was all quite customary stuff: middle-aged detective married to his job and relying on his "intuition", who has an ineffective superior but a devoted female sidekick (whose weight issues could have been omitted).
As a really quick read/listen (189 pages), it's solid enough entertainment and I intend to carry on with book 2, Dead Silent, but mainly because I can't get enough of the narrator and it's just an easy quick read for in-between.
June 22, 2019
I started a new series today. Yup… another one! A British police procedural (my favorite kind) set in the Pennine foothills of northern England on the outskirts of Manchester.
The story follows an investigation into what is perceived to be a serial murder. Both victims are young thugs/criminals who spend their time on a low income housing estate selling drugs and worse. The Hobfield estate holds out little optimism for the youth who live there. They all seem sullen and antagonistic towards police.
Can the murderer perchance be getting rid of the trash?
The Detective Inspector on the case is Tom Calladine. He is in his early fifties, a workaholic, and a bit of a womanizer with commitment phobia. He has a steady ‘girl-friend’ whom he doesn’t love, and an elderly mother in a nursing home. An old-fashioned copper who works on his instincts, his views are not always popular with the higher ups. Also, he has some family history that precludes him from rising any farther up the ranks…
Tom’s second in command is Rachel Bayliss. She always has his back and looks out for his personal life as well, though not in a romantic way. (at least not yet)
The setting is the village of Leesdon, but the author has taken some artistic liberties to enhance the novel.
The brutal and hideous crimes against the bodies of the two victims make Tom believe he is NOT dealing with the usual gang war. This is someone who takes a personal pleasure in meting out retribution.
When a beautiful and overly ambitious young journalist is contacted by the killer, she goes to Calladine with her knowledge. She agrees to hold back what she knows temporarily so as not to hinder the investigation.
Written with skill and in-depth characterization, this is just the kind of mystery I love to read. That being said, I must warn you that the novel is graphically violent and is not for the squeamish.
I will definitely follow the Calladine and Bayliss series – and I’m already anticipating the next titles “Dead silent” , “Dead list“, and “Dead lost“.
5 stars
This review was originally published (with graphics) on my blog: https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/2...
The story follows an investigation into what is perceived to be a serial murder. Both victims are young thugs/criminals who spend their time on a low income housing estate selling drugs and worse. The Hobfield estate holds out little optimism for the youth who live there. They all seem sullen and antagonistic towards police.
Can the murderer perchance be getting rid of the trash?
The Detective Inspector on the case is Tom Calladine. He is in his early fifties, a workaholic, and a bit of a womanizer with commitment phobia. He has a steady ‘girl-friend’ whom he doesn’t love, and an elderly mother in a nursing home. An old-fashioned copper who works on his instincts, his views are not always popular with the higher ups. Also, he has some family history that precludes him from rising any farther up the ranks…
Tom’s second in command is Rachel Bayliss. She always has his back and looks out for his personal life as well, though not in a romantic way. (at least not yet)
The setting is the village of Leesdon, but the author has taken some artistic liberties to enhance the novel.
The brutal and hideous crimes against the bodies of the two victims make Tom believe he is NOT dealing with the usual gang war. This is someone who takes a personal pleasure in meting out retribution.
When a beautiful and overly ambitious young journalist is contacted by the killer, she goes to Calladine with her knowledge. She agrees to hold back what she knows temporarily so as not to hinder the investigation.
Written with skill and in-depth characterization, this is just the kind of mystery I love to read. That being said, I must warn you that the novel is graphically violent and is not for the squeamish.
I will definitely follow the Calladine and Bayliss series – and I’m already anticipating the next titles “Dead silent” , “Dead list“, and “Dead lost“.
5 stars
This review was originally published (with graphics) on my blog: https://fictionophile.wordpress.com/2...
December 29, 2021
*Meet Callandine & Bayliss*
DI Tom Callendine is a bit rough around the edges and has great hunches but needs the evidence to back it up. He also has commitment issues. His partner DS Ruth Bayliss is loyal and is nobody’s fool. They make great partners
This case is heinous it starts off with a bag of severed fingers. The trouble is they don’t all belong to one person. Callandine’s DCI wants the wants the case wrapped up in a neat little bow as he suspects it’s the usual suspects who live on a rough estate. Tom begs to differ which causes tension between them.
In walks a reporter very interested in Tom and she seems to have some insider knowledge about the crimes. She wants to print the story the suspect seems to be sending to her Tom says no.
Things are further complicated because Tom and Ruth may unwisely be getting romantically involved with people with connections to the case, then to make matters worse Tom is connected to one of the big guns in the criminal world.
The case gets more tricky because there doesn’t seem to be any evidence left behind, is the killer existing in plain sight? Once the pieces start slotting together as more bodies stack up, the team are in for a shock….
DI Tom Callendine is a bit rough around the edges and has great hunches but needs the evidence to back it up. He also has commitment issues. His partner DS Ruth Bayliss is loyal and is nobody’s fool. They make great partners
This case is heinous it starts off with a bag of severed fingers. The trouble is they don’t all belong to one person. Callandine’s DCI wants the wants the case wrapped up in a neat little bow as he suspects it’s the usual suspects who live on a rough estate. Tom begs to differ which causes tension between them.
In walks a reporter very interested in Tom and she seems to have some insider knowledge about the crimes. She wants to print the story the suspect seems to be sending to her Tom says no.
Things are further complicated because Tom and Ruth may unwisely be getting romantically involved with people with connections to the case, then to make matters worse Tom is connected to one of the big guns in the criminal world.
The case gets more tricky because there doesn’t seem to be any evidence left behind, is the killer existing in plain sight? Once the pieces start slotting together as more bodies stack up, the team are in for a shock….
January 4, 2018
I generally won’t read a police procedural (or any book, really) unless it has a female protagonist. I feel like i’ve exhausted the options in this genre so I’m branching out into books like this one where they focus on a male and female. However, this focused mostly on the dude, despite the series name. What’s his name Tom is entirely unlikeable and I can’t tell if that’s on purpose or not. He starts out the book describing the female titular character, Ruth, as an overweight woman whom could be beautiful if she went to the gym and put on some make-up. In his next breath he describes himself as a handsome well fit man that used to be EMBARRASSINGLY compared to movie stars and his only flaw is that he is now 50. I hate Tom. Anyways the book goes on and we meet Tom’s on and off girlfriend. This woman seems nice enough but Tom just isn’t feeling her because she had the audacity to AGE. She is also chubbier than she used to be and he is basically over it but also not decent enough to end it. So he just strings her along and complains about the inconvenience of having to get her a birthday present. Then Tom meets some stunner of a reporter that is the most cringe worthy character I ever met. And this is a spoiler: she is hot and blonde and they have sex and Tom is like obsessed with her because she is skinny and has the good sense not to be old. He is all, gotta break up with the girlfriend but not right now things are a bit crazy with my investigation. And I’m like oh okay so my dude you have time to cheat on your girlfriend but not to have an honest conversation with her? Tom, you are a fifty year old man why are you acting like you’re a 20 year old fuck boi. Anyways. In the end the case is solved and Tom is still seemingly into this reporter and I don’t know if he broke up with his girlfriend or not but the first chapter of the second books says that she found out he cheated on her from the report the reporter wrote so Tom is still trash in the second book. This is why I don’t read books with old white men protagonists.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2016
Good enough that I might move on with the series..
For the most part this was a good book, except that I hate when the serial killer’s deeds are pages and pages of his actions. I like books about serial killers but keep the descriptions of the killings out. I don’t want to read about him cutting the guys fingers off or disemboweling another guy. It’s just too disgusting for words.
Also, since this is not supposed to be romance I absolutely hate when an author writes a little in his or her book, only to have the hero, Tom Calladine, discussing what to get his girlfriend for her birthday, with his partner Ruth, and then crawl into bed with a reporter, Lydia, who was half his age. No matter what kind of book you’re reading 99.9% of women readers hate a hero who is acting like a manwhore.
It really did keep you trying to figuring out who the killer was. I was still trying to figure it out very late in the book, and I like that. Knowing who the killer is right off the bat is not for me, and I would never have guessed who the killer was.
There was no swearing to speak of, except the F-bomb. It was released 10 times. I found that rather odd. There were no sexual feelings whatsoever, and a sex scene that was real close to fade-to-black.
As for the narrator: No matter how good or bad the book was I would have listened to it. Jonathan Keeble is totally awesome; his voices and emotional reading is just spectacular.
For the most part this was a good book, except that I hate when the serial killer’s deeds are pages and pages of his actions. I like books about serial killers but keep the descriptions of the killings out. I don’t want to read about him cutting the guys fingers off or disemboweling another guy. It’s just too disgusting for words.
Also, since this is not supposed to be romance I absolutely hate when an author writes a little in his or her book, only to have the hero, Tom Calladine, discussing what to get his girlfriend for her birthday, with his partner Ruth, and then crawl into bed with a reporter, Lydia, who was half his age. No matter what kind of book you’re reading 99.9% of women readers hate a hero who is acting like a manwhore.
It really did keep you trying to figuring out who the killer was. I was still trying to figure it out very late in the book, and I like that. Knowing who the killer is right off the bat is not for me, and I would never have guessed who the killer was.
There was no swearing to speak of, except the F-bomb. It was released 10 times. I found that rather odd. There were no sexual feelings whatsoever, and a sex scene that was real close to fade-to-black.
As for the narrator: No matter how good or bad the book was I would have listened to it. Jonathan Keeble is totally awesome; his voices and emotional reading is just spectacular.
September 27, 2015
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. It had grizzly murders, a detective and his sidekick with their own issues to deal with as well as the murders a few twists and turns and a big reveal at the end that I really didn't see. If I hadn't needed to sleep I would have read this book in one sitting it was that good it keep me wanting to read on, turn the pages and find out what happens next. It was a well written, easy read with a good plot.
The only downside was I felt that the book finished too quickly and abruptly. It felt a little rushed. We know why the murderer did what he did but it would have been nice to have found out a little bit more on how he became who and what he was. I also thought it would have been nice to have a bit more of the police "wrapping up" the case ie dotting the i's and crossing the t's, perhaps, interviewing him, or having a press conference to reassure the public that the murderer had been apprehended.
There were also a few other threads that were left hanging but I believe this is the first in a series of novels so I shall look forward to reading the next one to see how these threads are tied up.
A book I would gladly recommend to friends and family.
I really enjoyed this book. It had grizzly murders, a detective and his sidekick with their own issues to deal with as well as the murders a few twists and turns and a big reveal at the end that I really didn't see. If I hadn't needed to sleep I would have read this book in one sitting it was that good it keep me wanting to read on, turn the pages and find out what happens next. It was a well written, easy read with a good plot.
The only downside was I felt that the book finished too quickly and abruptly. It felt a little rushed. We know why the murderer did what he did but it would have been nice to have found out a little bit more on how he became who and what he was. I also thought it would have been nice to have a bit more of the police "wrapping up" the case ie dotting the i's and crossing the t's, perhaps, interviewing him, or having a press conference to reassure the public that the murderer had been apprehended.
There were also a few other threads that were left hanging but I believe this is the first in a series of novels so I shall look forward to reading the next one to see how these threads are tied up.
A book I would gladly recommend to friends and family.
April 9, 2016
Wow was i impressed with Dead Wrong by Helen H Durrant it got me sucked in from the very first page was a real ballsy read the plot was very strong for a first in the series of DS Ruth Bayliss & Di Tom Calladine I loved both characters thought they were both strong they had flaws but were believable.
A bag of of severed fingers were found in a playground by a rough neighborhood housing estate DI Calladine & DS ruth Bayliss come in to investigate the gruesome murders of two boys what they find is a scene of torture & barbaric cruelty on another human being the further they look into the case they find the serial killer could be someone close when Lydia Holden gets taken the team does not stop till they find her she ends up mentally damaged after her ordeal.
I could not believe the ending it wasn't what i was expecting a riveting crime thriller you wont be able to put down.
A bag of of severed fingers were found in a playground by a rough neighborhood housing estate DI Calladine & DS ruth Bayliss come in to investigate the gruesome murders of two boys what they find is a scene of torture & barbaric cruelty on another human being the further they look into the case they find the serial killer could be someone close when Lydia Holden gets taken the team does not stop till they find her she ends up mentally damaged after her ordeal.
I could not believe the ending it wasn't what i was expecting a riveting crime thriller you wont be able to put down.
November 11, 2015
Dead Wrong is the first in a series and wow what a beginning. I found this book to be a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller. Helen H Durrant has managed to give you flawed characters, some are aware of their flaws and some aren’t.
This gives you a primitive insight into the backgrounds of some of the characters and hopefully will be explored further within the next book. I enjoyed the DI Calladine & D.S. Ruth Bayliss partnership; I think they worked well together. As I write this, the next book is waiting for me to read and I look forward to reading more about them in Dead Silent
I would like to thank Net Galley and the publishers for providing a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
This gives you a primitive insight into the backgrounds of some of the characters and hopefully will be explored further within the next book. I enjoyed the DI Calladine & D.S. Ruth Bayliss partnership; I think they worked well together. As I write this, the next book is waiting for me to read and I look forward to reading more about them in Dead Silent
I would like to thank Net Galley and the publishers for providing a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews