Another Good Killing

Inspector Marco #2

by Stephen Puleston

A body is found in an Aston Martin... A rich family with something to hide?... Another case for Detective John Marco
The body of a well-connected wealthy banker is found in his luxury car in the middle of Cardiff with a message from the killer telling the world the man deserves to die. Was it a disgruntled former customer or business enemy? Once a video is posted on the internet from an anarchist group John Marco has his first possible suspect.
But another business executive, connected to the banker, is killed and another message left with the body. Marco has to find what links all the deaths together? All the evidence points to an anarchist group. But is John Marco right to have his doubts?
And in the middle of the investigation Marco’s son is rushed into hospital challenging everything that Marco knows about himself. And when Marco’s team is threatened he has a race against time to find the perpetrator.

Genres: Audiobook, Mystery, Contemporary

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

I write mysteries and thrillers.

I have published the first novel in a series featuring Inspector Drake based in North Wales and also the first in a series with Inspector John Marco based in Cardiff. The first Drake mystery is called BRASS IN POCKET and the second WORSE THAN DEAD. The third, AGAINST THE TIDE.

My second detective is Inspector Marco who comes from an Italian/Welsh background and he lives in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The first Inspector Marco novel SPEECHLESS has been published on Amazon and the second and third in the series will be published in 2015.

Before turning to crime fiction I had written three other unpublished novels and you can read about my writing and about Wales, one of the most beautiful countries in the world, on my website http://www.stephenpuleston.co.uk/

I was brought up on the Isle of Anglesey, off the North Wales coast and went to school in Holyhead. After a degree in Theology from London University I decided to train as a lawyer and returned to work in the practice run by my father on Anglesey. For many years I worked as a lawyer in a small practice representing clients in the criminal courts and doing divorce work all of which has given me valuable raw material for my novels.

I still live and work in North Wales where the Inspector Drake novels are set.
You can contact me on twitter @stephenpuleston or @inspector_marco
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/17G6iIA

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

DI John Marco is called to investigate the murder of a very well known wealthy banker. The killer lets them know what the motive of the murder was ... he left a note telling the world the man deserved to die, simply for his greed.

Marco's gut feeling about this case is working overtime. He just doesn't buy the greedy motive and when interrogating the man's family, he senses that they are hiding something ... but what?

When another business executive is murdered, the pieces of the puzzle start falling in place. And just when he thinks he has everything figured out, one of his team members is kidnapped. Marco faces a race against time to bring the murderer to justice - before it's too late...

As with all this author's books, it is a well written crime thriller. The crimes are believable and thoroughly thought out. Marco is a great series character. I like how his personal life is blended with his professional life. Being an alcoholic, Marco's family and friends worry about the stress he comes over in investigating crimes. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.

Although this is the second in the series, it does well as a stand alone. As always, I do recommend starting at the beginning and reading in order so as to not miss those little nuggets of gems that make a good book even better. I look forward to the continuing adventures of DI John Marco.

Many thanks to the author / Books n All Publicity / Jill Burkinshaw for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Susan Hampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective John Marco is really pushed to the limits in this second book in the series. Not only is he facing a solving a murder case that is feeling more like a set up, with neon lights and arrows displaying this way, as it is too easy but also on a more personal level he is in crisis because his son is in a coma. Oh Lordy, it pulls him emotionally like a stretch Armstrong and I just hoped that he wouldn’t snap and return to old ways and hit the bottle to escape it all.
Stephen Puleston really sets a cracking scene for the reader with his books. The crimes are intriguing to say the least and the main character Marco is always pushed to the brink. I don’t see Marco as a weak character though. It in many respects it gives him focus to keep him occupied but he has to deal with issues one at a time, seeming like he at times doesn’t care.
Marco isn’t about getting cases under his belt, he is about doing the right thing. When a wealthy business man is murdered, in a specific manner and including a note from the killer, it is as if the killer is directing the way the investigation should go. The reaction from the family isn’t really what Marco was expecting. When a second murder occurs, with a similar message attached to the body, the case becomes even more puzzling. Then is gets personal and the tempo really hots up.
This is making a super series. I really like the pairing of Inspector Marco and DS Lydia Flint. I do like a book that makes me use my own brain cells not just read about a case as it unfolds with others solving it. Very much looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Books 'n' All Promotions · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review will be posted when it is my stop on the Blog tour

[Joanna Larum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in the series with Inspector John Marco as the lead character, although I'm sure it could be read as a stand alone. I have now read both and I assure you I will be reading the third!
A wealthy banker is murdered in his car and a message is left hanging round his neck, telling the world that this greedy man deserved to die. There is a group in the area agitating for bankers to be punished for what they have done to the country, so it is simple to believe that this group are responsible for the murder. But another wealthy businessman is murdered in the same way with a similar message and Inspector Marco has to dig deeper to find the truth.
This is a well-written story with believable characters and enough excitement to keep the reader entertained. I must admit to enjoying this one more than the first one and I'm hoping that this upward trend continues with the third novel.
We learn more about Marco as the man and I'm not surprised he is an alcoholic with his dog's breakfast of a private life. From his overwhelming mother to his ex-wife and his estranged son, Marco struggles with personal relationships but, in this novel, he is trying hard to sort it all out. I hope this continues next time.
Great story and a tremendous ending, but let's lose his angst!
I am looking forward to the next in the series because I believe it will be even better than this one.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly good read but strange to read about places you know well!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: This is book 2 of the series but would work fine as a stand alone novel.

I think Marco is finally growing on me. I’ve enjoyed the plots of the prequel and book 1 but was iffy on Marco, our main character. Now in this book I see him as a flawed man in transition who really does want to make some positive changes in his life, especially with his son Dean (Marco has often been an absentee parent).

The main meat of this story was an engaging murder mystery. I liked the simmering suspense of potential riots from protesters Big Banking is at the center of this mess and Marco has no patience for the politics of the situation. He just wants to catch a killer. But there’s more than one loose thread to pull… and yet Marco is so easily distracted by his own ego and the thrill of chase of a new skirt.

I’m totally on-board with no slut shaming but then we have Marco. I don’t think this man will ever be truly happy in a singular relationship so I think he should get a permanent tag that lets his partners know up front that he has a wandering eye… and other body parts. For this book, the main interest is Tracy and I think Marco is attracted to women who can’t be involved in a long term relationship because of some existing conflict – like work mates or they’re married, etc. Even as he revels in Tracy’s charms, he considers other possible future candidates.

Anyhoo, I admire Marco’s dedication to work and the case in front of him even as I shake my head over his personal affairs. Previously I have commented about how Marco doesn’t treat those closest to him with real respect (mom, son, etc.) and I love that in this book it looks like Marco is realizing the true cost of that. He’s growing and I do love a good murder mystery series where the main hero shows real character growth.

Looks like Marco’s previous partner, Detective Sargent Boyd, is out and he’s got a new one, DS Lydia Flint. Marco seems to do better with a female partner and she seems to get along well with him. I wonder how that will look a year or 3 down the road though.

I would like to see a few more ladies who aren’t romantic interests in this series as a whole. Gender balance rocks! And I will say there was one particular aspect to the mystery that was obvious from the beginning though I enjoyed very much watching Marco eventually figure it out. Other than those few quibbles, it’s a fun tale. 4/5 stars.

The Narration: Joseph Tweedale is doing a good job with Marco. He has the perfect voice that can go from demanding to contemplative to even swaggering as needed. Tweedale also had a decent variety of character voices for the cast of the book. His female voices were good but could probably use a little more range for differentiation among the ladies. The pacing was good and there were no tech issues with this recording. 4.5/5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Good Killing was another great read by Stephen Puleston, It was fast paced, with twists and suspense throughout. The way that Detective Marco figures out each case is unique and his instincts are generally always on. He gets that "gut feeling" when something feels off or not quite right, and when he investigates further or looks as the facts again he can generally find a clue that will help him.

In Another Good Killing, DI Marco feels that he has messed up and put one of his team in danger. It leads to a touchy situation for him and almost causes him to back slide. I was rooting for him the entire time while reading this section that he would walk away. His intensity for his work as well as his loyalty to his team and the people that he cares about is what makes him a a great character. DI Marco does a lot of reflecting in this story on his life and his family. This story helps him realize what is important in life and helps him to analyze his life and make changes.

I enjoyed reading this story and found it to really challenge my detective brain as well as it did DI Marco's. I give this story a 5 star review. I highly recommend the DI Marco series to readers who like a good challenge when reading a crime thriller and like to play a couch detective while reading. I look forward to more DI Marco stories in the near future.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having visited Cardiff, with its compact arrangement of castle, stadium, and shopping streets entirely enclosed for shelter from the rain, I thought I should get on with reading a Stephen Puleston Cardiff crime book that had been on my Kindle for a while. All I can say is, I should have read it sooner.
The villains are upfront - the horrid bankers who crashed the economy and walked away with fat purses - but someone is taking a personal revenge. We learn quite a bit through the investigation into the (fictional) Bank of Wales and various smaller companies. One staged murder follows another in a city small enough that everyone is connected to the case in some way.
Inspector Marco is part-Italian, which mainly expresses itself through food, and divorced with a teen son who doesn't see enough of his dad - which is brought home to the man during this tale. His personal judgement isn't always the best, but he tries his best.
The tale is well up to date and detailed, with red herrings and accomplices which can be hard to follow if you are coming back to the book while you travel, which I was, not remembering who Troy and Rex were, etc. Authors should consider giving more prompts as to who characters are, because many readers can't read straight through the tale any more.
I shall look forward to reading more of this series.
This is an unbiased review.

[Simon Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one follows on from the first in the series (Speechless, which I reviewed here) but can also be read as a stand alone book if required.

As with Stephen's other books this one is set in Wales, and the descriptions of the area are superb making the whole story that much better.

This story revolves around a murderer killing off high powered wealthy people in an assumed vengeance attack for what they have done in the past, but, as with Stephen's other books all is not as it appears.

I really liked all the added twists to this book, and the fact that so many people are hiding something makes it all the more intriguing.

The chemistry between Marco and DS Flint was really good and believable, they worked well as a team and worked well together to rule out all of the suspects leaving surprising outcome.

Overall the book was really well written and flowed just as nicely as the first one.  I am now off to read the third in the series ready for the blog tour which starts 26th July and my stop is the 1st August.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

DI Marco of the Welsh Police Service out of Cardiff last is assigned to find the killer of a wealthy banker. When the banker is found with a “greedy bastard” lanyard around his neck the first assumption is that it’s the work of an anarchist group.
I loved the complexity of this book! The plot is absolutely original. The story line while complicated becomes a bit confusing with so many characters especially as more murders follow. It’s amazing at all the paperwork related to the character and their background he has to get through. There was plenty of family drama from both the victim and the Inspector. This book had some intense moments and some rewarding ones. This is the best thriller I’ve read in awhile. I highly recommend this book and this series!

[Sandra Leivesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

DI John Marco is called in to investigate the death of a wealthy banker. The killer left a note saying they were too greedy. More deaths soon follow. He is also trying to cope with more personal problems.

Having listened to the prequel novella, and also book 1 in the series I can honestly say this is the best so far. The plot is fairly intricate with a large number of characters. but he story is very well written and flows well, with plenty of suspense and enough twists and turns to keep me happy. The characters are all very realistic, and I especially liked the camaraderie between DI Marco and DS Flint in this one. Marco has definitely grown on me since the last book and I can't wait to listen to the next in the series.

Joseph Tweedale does a great job with the narration.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well-written police procedural that sees Welsh Police Services Detective John Marco and his colleague Lydia Flint thrown in to a series of related murders with many suspects, including family members of the first victim. Marco also has to deal with a crisis involving his son. Book is well-paced, with the exception of noting each time Marco smokes a cigarette or has a coffee. The characters are distinctive enough that even though there are many of them, it’s easy to keep them all straight. Stephen Puleston has also written the Ian Drake series, also set in Wales. Puleston definitely has a knack for creating interesting protagonists with certain flaws. I plan to keep reading his work.

[Book Monitor · Rating 3 out of 5]

D.I. Marco is called in to investigate the murder of a greedy banker. As the story unfolds there are a variety of suspects, including family, anti-capitalists and more. The writing is fluid and it is an easy book to read, or in my case listen to. The narration was good and I will be listening to the next in the series, but for me I felt there were some parts of this novel that were frankly too much of a stretch to be entirely believable.
It is worth reading/listening to though if you are willing to suspend disbelief a bit, and others seemed to have loved it more than I did.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Police Procedural

I've enjoyed Stephen Puleston's other police Inspector, Ian Drake so thought I'd check out the Detective Marco series. After finishing this second book in the series, I'm now hooked on these also. The Kindle version needs better editing as I found a couple of pretty obvious errors, but other than that I enjoyed the plot & there were enough twists & turns to keep one guessing. I've already downloaded the remaining 3 books in the series & am looking forward to reading g them soon.

[Vanessa Krushner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second in the series of Inspector Marco series but could be read as a stand alone
A banker is found dead in his car the motive seems clear but as another business man is killed an anarchist group seems to fit the bill. But as with all Stephen Puleston books this is only a starting point and you are drawn into a rollercoaster of a plot that will keep you guessing to the end.
I must admit Stephen Puleston is a favourite of mine so I would definitely recommend

[Gareth Jagger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure. I was given the audio book free of charge for an honest review.
Oh what a wonderful book. From the moment that I started I was hooked. The plot runs at a good pace throughout and there is no stopping. The characters are first class and totally believable. The plot regarding bankers is first class and interesting at the same time. I am not going to mention plot and spoil it but the official book description is accurate. I highly recommend this book.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story with great characters. I love Marco, but sometimes I question why, as he's pretty rude to other people when stressed/annoyed! I was gripped by the story from the first chapter, and couldn't put it down. The narration sometimes reminds me of Stig Larrsson, with so much, seemingly, unnecessary detail of Marco's life, but the story is so good I can over look it (just like Girl with Dragon Tattoo novels!). I cant wait to read the next one.

[Bethany Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version of this and as with the previous Inspector Marco book this took you on a fast paced, action packed murder hunt. A banker is found dead in his car. With the family closing circles are they guilty or is there a bigger picture. When things take a turn with another murder, the action really speeds up. I really like Marco, he's down to earth, quite blunt and just wants to get things done. With a few character changes from the first book this gives a new dimension to the story. Narration is great and I love the settings for these books.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wealthy banker is found dead in his car. But this is just the start. DI Marco and his team investigate. But want or who links the deaths, what could be the motives.
An enjoyable and well-written crime story with its wellrounded and likeable characters. Another good story in this series.
I received a free copy of this book from the author via BooksFunnel and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Well I have to admit I am a bit biased towards these books as they are set on my doorstep and it’s really nice to hear Welsh accents on the narrations but this series of crime novels are dramatic and exciting and full of everything you want from a crime story along with the beautiful backdrop of Wales. Roll on the ITV tv series please??

[Carol W. Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

I am enjoying the gradual character development as well as some believable crimes. Ongoing cast of characters makes series more interesting and sex scenes are not overdone

[Steve Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

What a story what a writer great characters lovely plot twists and as a Swansea city fan of many years can’t quite believe I’m now a fan of a Cardiff supporting di Marco !!

[Chaplain Stanley Chapin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A interesting mystery

The storyline is at Welsh, which I have traveled thru, but never spent much time and no little about characterization was good, the storyline well developed, and full of intensity and intrigue.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook review
Marco is involved in a murder of a banker. The family don’t seem right and Marco as switched on as he is picks up and is off.
Stephen Puleston has a great team with his characters in this series.
Narrated as always excellent. Fab series

[Monty Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Suspenseful

Ok, so I've grown to love this series with DI Marco and DS Flint! I'm just hoping there are more ready to read!

[Pat Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Read

They did of you liked Louise Penny you'd like this book. They were spot on. Very well written. I enjoyed the book.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly another good killing!

Stephen Pulsen has another winner. This one keeps you on the edge of your seat with a surprise ending. Excellent read.

[Karl Hakimian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable police procedural featuring Inspector Marco. The plot holds to gether well and the charactre interaction and development has me wanting to read more in this series.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marco felt like a much more rounded character in this story. I really enjoyed it

[Larry E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read

Not a page turner but a good read. Nice character development. I would recommend to any mystery readers. Enjoying the series