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HATEFUL CRIMES a BRAND NEW gripping detective thriller full of suspense
A brand-new British crime mystery set on the Dorset coast from bestselling author Michael Hambling.
Meet Detective Sophie Allen. She’s an expert on murder and violent crime. Her brilliant mind works tirelessly to put the most vicious criminals behind bars, but conceals dark secrets from her own past.
‘Hello? Is that the police? I think I’m being stalked . . .’
Two weeks later, Linzi Brightman’s body is pulled from Christchurch Harbour. Killed by a vicious blow to the head — and left to drown.
At first glance, Linzi’s life is spotless. A respected university lecturer. Popular. Outgoing. Uncomplicated.
But Sophie Allen knows better.
Because someone was watching Linzi in the weeks before she died.
Witnesses remember a heated argument in a local Italian restaurant, between Linzi and a man no one can identity. No name. No trace. Just anger . . . and something darker beneath it.
Then another body surfaces.
A young woman pulled from the River Avon, just a few miles away. Dead for months.
Two victims. One pattern.
This wasn’t random.
Someone is choosing his targets. Studying them. Waiting.
And he’s not finished yet.
Discover a captivating crime mystery which will have you gripped from start to finish.
Perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, Ann Cleeves, J.D. Kirk, J.M. Dalgleish, or Pauline Rowson.
READERS LOVE HATEFUL CRIMES:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I love the Sophie Allen series and have read all of them. Another brilliant offering.’ Mandy B.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great story and a good read.’ Anni S.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A heady mix of stalking and murder . . . An entertaining read. Far more than a straightforward police procedural.’ J.D.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved it.’ Riley W.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great series. Highly recommended.’ Willie
THE DETECTIVE
DCI Sophie Allen is Dorset’s acknowledged expert on murder and violent crime. She has recently been promoted to Chief Superintendent of the Wessex Serious Crimes Unit, overseeing investigations across Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset. She is in her early fifties, and lives with her husband in Wareham. She has two grown-up daughters. Sophie has a law degree and a master’s in criminal psychology. Her brilliant mind conceals some dark secrets from her past.
THE SETTING
Christchurch is the most easterly coastal town in Dorset, situated on the edge of the New Forest. The town centre lies between the rivers Avon and Stour, which flow directly into Christchurch Harbour. But the fine, sandy beaches and stunning waterfront hide a darker undercurrent.
Meet Detective Sophie Allen. She’s an expert on murder and violent crime. Her brilliant mind works tirelessly to put the most vicious criminals behind bars, but conceals dark secrets from her own past.
‘Hello? Is that the police? I think I’m being stalked . . .’
Two weeks later, Linzi Brightman’s body is pulled from Christchurch Harbour. Killed by a vicious blow to the head — and left to drown.
At first glance, Linzi’s life is spotless. A respected university lecturer. Popular. Outgoing. Uncomplicated.
But Sophie Allen knows better.
Because someone was watching Linzi in the weeks before she died.
Witnesses remember a heated argument in a local Italian restaurant, between Linzi and a man no one can identity. No name. No trace. Just anger . . . and something darker beneath it.
Then another body surfaces.
A young woman pulled from the River Avon, just a few miles away. Dead for months.
Two victims. One pattern.
This wasn’t random.
Someone is choosing his targets. Studying them. Waiting.
And he’s not finished yet.
Discover a captivating crime mystery which will have you gripped from start to finish.
Perfect for fans of Joy Ellis, Ann Cleeves, J.D. Kirk, J.M. Dalgleish, or Pauline Rowson.
READERS LOVE HATEFUL CRIMES:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I love the Sophie Allen series and have read all of them. Another brilliant offering.’ Mandy B.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great story and a good read.’ Anni S.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A heady mix of stalking and murder . . . An entertaining read. Far more than a straightforward police procedural.’ J.D.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved it.’ Riley W.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great series. Highly recommended.’ Willie
THE DETECTIVE
DCI Sophie Allen is Dorset’s acknowledged expert on murder and violent crime. She has recently been promoted to Chief Superintendent of the Wessex Serious Crimes Unit, overseeing investigations across Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset. She is in her early fifties, and lives with her husband in Wareham. She has two grown-up daughters. Sophie has a law degree and a master’s in criminal psychology. Her brilliant mind conceals some dark secrets from her past.
THE SETTING
Christchurch is the most easterly coastal town in Dorset, situated on the edge of the New Forest. The town centre lies between the rivers Avon and Stour, which flow directly into Christchurch Harbour. But the fine, sandy beaches and stunning waterfront hide a darker undercurrent.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A couple of well educated women who are part of a group educating female students on how to stay safe are stalked and murdered. As the case is complicated - one of the bodies is only found weeks after going missing - it is passed to Sophie Allen's Wescu. A gender-critical reporter is on the case, insisting that the police don't care about violence against women. The reporter calls trans women it rather than she which doesn't go down well with the team as one of their number is a trans woman.
An excellent, up to the minute story with both gender-critical and incel values examined.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.
An excellent, up to the minute story with both gender-critical and incel values examined.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A heady mix of stalking, murder and male supremism.
This is the latest book in Michael Hambling's series featuring Detective Sophie Allen. I’ve read some of the previous books and so I was familiar with a number of the largely female police officers who are present this time. It starts with the killing of a woman and is followed by that of another woman who was known to her. There is a lot of cooperation featured here of neighbouring police forces as the full extent of the crimes involved are uncovered.
I found it bit confusing at times trying to remember which officers belonged to which force, even though some of them are listed at the start, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book. This is clearly a well researched book that examines the subject matter very well whilst still being an entertaining read. It's far more that a straightforward police procedural book.
This is the latest book in Michael Hambling's series featuring Detective Sophie Allen. I’ve read some of the previous books and so I was familiar with a number of the largely female police officers who are present this time. It starts with the killing of a woman and is followed by that of another woman who was known to her. There is a lot of cooperation featured here of neighbouring police forces as the full extent of the crimes involved are uncovered.
I found it bit confusing at times trying to remember which officers belonged to which force, even though some of them are listed at the start, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book. This is clearly a well researched book that examines the subject matter very well whilst still being an entertaining read. It's far more that a straightforward police procedural book.
October 29, 2026
A case already two days old due to overstretched resources in Christchurch falls to Det Chief Supt Sophie Allen and the Wessex Regional Serious Crime Unit, including DCI Barry Marsh, DS Rae Gregson, DC Tommy Carter and DC Jackie Spring, assisted by four local officers. University lecturer Linzi Brightman, born in the area and returned 2 years ago, was pulled from the water at the harbour, hit over the head and left to drown whilst out running one dark wet night. Further investigations reveal that she had reported being stalked to the police and they discover an argument on a date where she walked out but tracing the misogynistic man she was with is proving difficult. Then Barry’s wife, DS Gwen Davis, from neighbouring Hampshire CID alerts them to a similar woman being reported missing by her employer a few months ago. She believed she was being stalked too and alarmingly she lived only a few miles from Christchurch. A search of the river ensues and another body is soon found. The postmortem shows a definite link in the cause of death and suddenly the detectives are looking for a double killer. With little coming out of their personal lives, just what was the motive for these murders and are there more women in danger from this man?
This is another gripping addition to the series featuring detectives from all the units who were very likeable and worked together as a team extremely well. I liked the way Rae’s personal situation is discussed sympathetically. With many threads gradually woven together and lots of twists and potential suspects in the story, it was hard to guess just who was guilty until near the end and the clever complex plot certainly kept me hooked. I very much enjoyed this story and can definitely recommend it!
This is another gripping addition to the series featuring detectives from all the units who were very likeable and worked together as a team extremely well. I liked the way Rae’s personal situation is discussed sympathetically. With many threads gradually woven together and lots of twists and potential suspects in the story, it was hard to guess just who was guilty until near the end and the clever complex plot certainly kept me hooked. I very much enjoyed this story and can definitely recommend it!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Outstanding!
Book 15 in the Detective Sophie Allen series, and Michael Hambling has lost none of his touch. Opening Hateful Crimes felt like stepping back into a room full of familiar faces, and I settled in happily.
Sophie, now Chief Superintendent of the Wessex Serious Crimes Unit, leads her team into a tangled case that begins with a body pulled from Christchurch Harbour. A woman who rang the police about a stalker, then ended up dead two weeks later.
Hambling gives the setting real atmosphere: the sandy beaches and pretty waterfront of Christchurch sit alongside something far more unsettling underneath, and that contrast runs through the whole book.
What I love most is the team. The detective work is patient and meticulous, every lead followed and every dead end earned, and the banter between colleagues is spot on. It lifts the mood just when the squad hits a brick wall, and it never feels forced.
The storyline is an utterly relevant one, and Hambling handles it with real care and sensitivity. It's dark without being exaggerated, and it kept me turning pages well into the wee small hours.
Sharply written, wonderfully atmospheric, and fully absorbing. Highly recommended, whether you're a long-time fan or new to the series.
My thanks to Netgalley and Joffe Books for the ARC. All views are my own.
Book 15 in the Detective Sophie Allen series, and Michael Hambling has lost none of his touch. Opening Hateful Crimes felt like stepping back into a room full of familiar faces, and I settled in happily.
Sophie, now Chief Superintendent of the Wessex Serious Crimes Unit, leads her team into a tangled case that begins with a body pulled from Christchurch Harbour. A woman who rang the police about a stalker, then ended up dead two weeks later.
Hambling gives the setting real atmosphere: the sandy beaches and pretty waterfront of Christchurch sit alongside something far more unsettling underneath, and that contrast runs through the whole book.
What I love most is the team. The detective work is patient and meticulous, every lead followed and every dead end earned, and the banter between colleagues is spot on. It lifts the mood just when the squad hits a brick wall, and it never feels forced.
The storyline is an utterly relevant one, and Hambling handles it with real care and sensitivity. It's dark without being exaggerated, and it kept me turning pages well into the wee small hours.
Sharply written, wonderfully atmospheric, and fully absorbing. Highly recommended, whether you're a long-time fan or new to the series.
My thanks to Netgalley and Joffe Books for the ARC. All views are my own.
October 30, 2026
A tense addition to the Detective Sophie Allen series. Read as a standalone its just as good.
DCI Sophie Allen is still laid up from an injury sustained in a previous case but her brilliant mind is used to its full effect in guiding her team to solve this nasty series of hate crimes.
Dr Linzi Brightman is a university Don, shes also a feminist and holds no truck with bully boy male misogynists.
She feels that she is being stalked and reports it to the police. Soon afterwards she us found dead face down in the shallows of the river. The local police are under pressure, a big road traffic accident and several of their force are laid up after eating dodgy Kebabs.
With the depleted resource it takes two days before the Linzi's death is taken seriously and Sophie's murder squad are called in.
Initial investigation soon reveals that Lizie had been in a heated argument in a restaurant and had stormed out. The argument appears to have been about some vile anti feminism comments made by the man. The hunt is on and a second victim is identified with tenuous links to Linzi through the feminist movement,
Can Sophie steer her team through the murky waters of extremism and hatred. This story is bang up to date with today's undercurrents of hatred with certain political encouragement. A fast moving twisty tale.
DCI Sophie Allen is still laid up from an injury sustained in a previous case but her brilliant mind is used to its full effect in guiding her team to solve this nasty series of hate crimes.
Dr Linzi Brightman is a university Don, shes also a feminist and holds no truck with bully boy male misogynists.
She feels that she is being stalked and reports it to the police. Soon afterwards she us found dead face down in the shallows of the river. The local police are under pressure, a big road traffic accident and several of their force are laid up after eating dodgy Kebabs.
With the depleted resource it takes two days before the Linzi's death is taken seriously and Sophie's murder squad are called in.
Initial investigation soon reveals that Lizie had been in a heated argument in a restaurant and had stormed out. The argument appears to have been about some vile anti feminism comments made by the man. The hunt is on and a second victim is identified with tenuous links to Linzi through the feminist movement,
Can Sophie steer her team through the murky waters of extremism and hatred. This story is bang up to date with today's undercurrents of hatred with certain political encouragement. A fast moving twisty tale.
October 29, 2026
A young professional woman reported to the police that she thought she was being stalked. The police did nothing and two weeks later she was dead - struck down by a blow to the head and dumped in the river to drown. Detective Chief Superintendent Sophie Allen’s crack team of detectives, The Wessex Serious Crimes Unit, are tasked with solving this horrific crime. When they find that a friend of the victim is missing, and that both women were part of a group trying to protect young women from toxic masculinity, the investigation gets a bit more complex.
This is the 15th book of the Detective Sophie Allen series and it is another excellent read. It is gritty, fast paced and believable, with great characters and a plot that is very pertinent to current times. I recommend it to any lovers of crime fiction, police procedurals especially. It would work well as a standalone, but I recommend reading others in the series if you really want to get a handle on the characters and their backgrounds.
This is the 15th book of the Detective Sophie Allen series and it is another excellent read. It is gritty, fast paced and believable, with great characters and a plot that is very pertinent to current times. I recommend it to any lovers of crime fiction, police procedurals especially. It would work well as a standalone, but I recommend reading others in the series if you really want to get a handle on the characters and their backgrounds.
October 31, 2026
HOW Can You Not Love Sofie after Fifteen Books
Author Hambling brings us Sofie and her two families (police and biological) just one more time with the reader making guesses as to where the book will lead to, and then be surprised that wasn’t where it was headed. Easy reading, feeling like “…old home week.” in many ways, yet with a few new faces on the force. Great background theme with a topic which needs a great deal more exposure. As a retired military vet I saw too much of this for many years. We paid lip service and recruited women, then for too long wouldn’t put them on ships, wouldn’t let them serve in combat zones and subsequently wondered why they wouldn’t stay for a career even tho their experiences weren’t competitive. Then we put women in jobs they weren’t trained for just to get the numbers in order. We are doing better, but still have a ways to go to catch up with the Coast Guard and the IDF. ENJOYABLE READ! VR, Mags
Author Hambling brings us Sofie and her two families (police and biological) just one more time with the reader making guesses as to where the book will lead to, and then be surprised that wasn’t where it was headed. Easy reading, feeling like “…old home week.” in many ways, yet with a few new faces on the force. Great background theme with a topic which needs a great deal more exposure. As a retired military vet I saw too much of this for many years. We paid lip service and recruited women, then for too long wouldn’t put them on ships, wouldn’t let them serve in combat zones and subsequently wondered why they wouldn’t stay for a career even tho their experiences weren’t competitive. Then we put women in jobs they weren’t trained for just to get the numbers in order. We are doing better, but still have a ways to go to catch up with the Coast Guard and the IDF. ENJOYABLE READ! VR, Mags
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is #15 in the Detective Sophie Allen series but can easily be read as a standalone. I love the Sophie Allen series and have read all of them, so I’d recommend reading them all.
Detective Chief Superintendent Sophie and her WeSCU (Wessex Serious Crime Unit) team are called in when a woman’s body is pulled from the water in Christchurch harbour. She has suffered a serious blow to the head, so there’s a killer on the loose. The team discovers that the woman had reported being stalked in the weeks leading up to her death, following a heated argument with a man in a restaurant. They start pulling all the strands together and then the body of another woman is found, and it looks as though the two deaths are connected.
Another brilliant Sophie Allen offering from Michael Hambling.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.
Detective Chief Superintendent Sophie and her WeSCU (Wessex Serious Crime Unit) team are called in when a woman’s body is pulled from the water in Christchurch harbour. She has suffered a serious blow to the head, so there’s a killer on the loose. The team discovers that the woman had reported being stalked in the weeks leading up to her death, following a heated argument with a man in a restaurant. They start pulling all the strands together and then the body of another woman is found, and it looks as though the two deaths are connected.
Another brilliant Sophie Allen offering from Michael Hambling.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.
November 1, 2026
Detective Sophie Allen is back. This is part of a series but can be read as a standalone book.
Sophie and her team initially start work on solving one crime but quickly learn it's not the only crime that has occured. They are under scrutiny as well and are trying to work hard and work smart to catch a killer and get justice for the women harmed.
Rae is a good member of the team and has good instincts. Things are very close to home for her and she's having to tread carefully to get justice for an old acquaintance but also to avoid negative attention.
The cross county work shows fast communication and a mutual respect and team effort when trying to solve the crimes.
There's a lot to this and it is quite fast paced given the detail and progression of the investigation. It shows a few interesting characters/links to keep you guessing as well.
Sophie and her team initially start work on solving one crime but quickly learn it's not the only crime that has occured. They are under scrutiny as well and are trying to work hard and work smart to catch a killer and get justice for the women harmed.
Rae is a good member of the team and has good instincts. Things are very close to home for her and she's having to tread carefully to get justice for an old acquaintance but also to avoid negative attention.
The cross county work shows fast communication and a mutual respect and team effort when trying to solve the crimes.
There's a lot to this and it is quite fast paced given the detail and progression of the investigation. It shows a few interesting characters/links to keep you guessing as well.
November 1, 2026
It’s has been a while since I read a crime thriller because I felt that they all seemed very much copy and paste. However Hateful Crimes has restored my faith in suspenseful whodunnits!
The topics explored in this book are all too relevant and the author certainly doesn’t shy away from delving into them. Toxic masculinity, trans rights debates, female safety and incels are all to real in today’s society and Hateful Crimes does well in bringing them to the surface of the story, handling these sensitive topics very well.
I was gripped from page one of this book. We have murder, stalking, twists and shocking revelations.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I can tell you it won’t be the last. I loved the characters, the pacing and the writing style. Overall this was such an enjoyable read that I would highly recommend!
October 29, 2026
I always look forward to a new Sophie Allen book. Over the series we have gradually got to know her team and as their careers progress Sophie takes a bit of a back seat due to her now high rank and the others step into dominate the narrative. Cleverly done because it doesn’t matter at all , as a reader we root for the collective now not the individual detective hero. A great story too, a woman murdered after complaining she was being stalked, but gradually her whole back story is revealed as more of her friends/ colleagues from her uni women’s protest group begin to die. Intriguing as to whether there ‘s a mole or just a very intelligent opponent . I would happily read this again to see if I missed anything the first time!
October 29, 2026
A Brilliant Series!
I can't believe this book is number 15, it's still as fresh as book one in my opinion. DCI Sophie Allen works across the whole of Dorset and beyond, and is that rare thing, popular with her staff. A young woman's body is pulled out of Christchurch Harbour and Sophie and her team begin their investigation. At first they can find no reason for her to have been murdered, but then they receive a report that said she had been seen arguing with a man in a local restaurant, but no one could identify the man. Then another woman is found in nearby River Avon and Sophie and her team have to work out if they could be connected. This is a brilliant book and I can't wait for book 16!
I can't believe this book is number 15, it's still as fresh as book one in my opinion. DCI Sophie Allen works across the whole of Dorset and beyond, and is that rare thing, popular with her staff. A young woman's body is pulled out of Christchurch Harbour and Sophie and her team begin their investigation. At first they can find no reason for her to have been murdered, but then they receive a report that said she had been seen arguing with a man in a local restaurant, but no one could identify the man. Then another woman is found in nearby River Avon and Sophie and her team have to work out if they could be connected. This is a brilliant book and I can't wait for book 16!
October 30, 2026
I've admired Michael Hambling in the past for including current topics in his plots. He's done it again in Hateful Crimes.
The death of Linzi Brightman is almost dismissed as an accident, but then it's found she had been attacked. At first there seem to be no clues, but the Wessex Serious Crime Unit are called in & gradually unearth the truth & link her death to a woman in a neighbouring county. Misogony, male supremacy, incel, & the distrust some people have for the Trans community are all touched upon in the story which highlights how these beliefs can exist in the community - even in people who give no obvious outward signs & who have no outward history of it. A well handled story & definitely thought provoking.
The death of Linzi Brightman is almost dismissed as an accident, but then it's found she had been attacked. At first there seem to be no clues, but the Wessex Serious Crime Unit are called in & gradually unearth the truth & link her death to a woman in a neighbouring county. Misogony, male supremacy, incel, & the distrust some people have for the Trans community are all touched upon in the story which highlights how these beliefs can exist in the community - even in people who give no obvious outward signs & who have no outward history of it. A well handled story & definitely thought provoking.
October 30, 2026
This was a great read which had me gripped throughout. Some women have been murdered and it leads the teams to the world of misogynistic groups of men who seem to be targeting specific groups of women. The women felt they had been stalked beforehand.
You read about some of this in daily newspaper and television reports but I found it well written and even more shocking reading about it in this book. I enjoyed not really knowing who was behind everything and one reveal towards the end was quite a shock. It is a thought provoking read and one I highly recommend.
You read about some of this in daily newspaper and television reports but I found it well written and even more shocking reading about it in this book. I enjoyed not really knowing who was behind everything and one reveal towards the end was quite a shock. It is a thought provoking read and one I highly recommend.
November 1, 2026
Book 15 and although my first I found no problem following along so can be read as a standalone.
Detective Sophie Allen is an interesting characters I liked her no nonsense attitude and her team just get on with their jobs, the investigation was meticulously carried out which was fascinating I liked how they worked together.
The case was intriguing, stalking always seems chilling that thought of being watched gives me the heebies.
An excellent read that I couldn’t put down hence I’ve already purchased the first few of this series to start at the beginning of Sophie’s story.
Detective Sophie Allen is an interesting characters I liked her no nonsense attitude and her team just get on with their jobs, the investigation was meticulously carried out which was fascinating I liked how they worked together.
The case was intriguing, stalking always seems chilling that thought of being watched gives me the heebies.
An excellent read that I couldn’t put down hence I’ve already purchased the first few of this series to start at the beginning of Sophie’s story.
November 1, 2026
Dat viel tegen. Ik vond de boeken in deze serie allemaal erg leuk, maar deze dus niet. Veel te veel gekletst en ook te veel herhalingen over transgenders en vrouwenrechten. Ik ben het helemaal met de mening van de schrijver eens, maar het leek wel of hij het nodig vond om het er in te stampen. Jammer genoeg waren er ook nauwelijks plottwitsts. Echt jammer, vooral omdat de vorige boeken zoveel beter waren. Misschien tijd voor een nieuwe serie.
October 29, 2026
This book is so well written I was hooked from the first chapter.
Detective Sophie Allen and her Serious Crimes Unit team investigate the murder of an academic whilst jogging on a riverside path. A second body of a similar woman is found and what looked like a straight murder turns into an investigation into something more sinister.
So many elements make this a most engaging read.
Detective Sophie Allen and her Serious Crimes Unit team investigate the murder of an academic whilst jogging on a riverside path. A second body of a similar woman is found and what looked like a straight murder turns into an investigation into something more sinister.
So many elements make this a most engaging read.
October 20, 2026
Another in a great series. Deals with a very relevant current topic but put across very well. As with all of this series it is a fast paced story, and although it has a main character, there are many others who add great value to the story telling. Highly recommended
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I was given an ARC of this book free of charge via Joffe Books in return for an honest review.
Excellent police procedural and totally on point highlighting the worrying upward trend involving misogynistic men as well as the issues facing the trans population.
Recommend.
Excellent police procedural and totally on point highlighting the worrying upward trend involving misogynistic men as well as the issues facing the trans population.
Recommend.
October 29, 2026
Hateful Crimes. A body found in the water, a suicide or accident? Further investigation points to murder, and something much darker. Struggling for clues, the team soon find that things are not as first thought. Another pulsating novel in the series, a real page turner.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews