Late Checkout

DCI Kenny Murrain #1

by Alex Walters

LATE CHECKOUT

DCI Kenny Murrain sees, hears and feels things that others do not. It’s a gift but also a curse.
When he wakes to the phantom sound of screaming he knows a murder has been committed but not where or why.
Then a woman’s body is found in a Stockport hotel room. It’s a murder that seems both frenzied and carefully planned, the scene expertly cleansed of any evidence.
Over the following days, more bodies are discovered, first in an upmarket spa on the Pennine moors, then in a run-down budget hotel on the outskirts of Manchester.
The same frenzied attacks, the same meticulous planning. The same killer.
The victims all have links to one man, a police colleague with a dark past. But Murrain discovers a more unexpected connection—with Marie Donovan, a former undercover officer now part of Murrain’s own team.
As the killer closes in on a fourth victim, Murrain knows that time is running out. But the outcome will be more unexpected and more terrifying than even he can imagine…

Genres: Audiobook, Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Detective, Suspense

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 9, 2016

About the author

Aka Michael Walters

Reviews

[Natalie M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great potential, but some really strange storytelling.

There were times when I felt like I was reading a collection of short stories. Characters and back stories appeared and seemed unconnected which was a little strange. The protagonists have great potential to develop into a fine series with some really interesting traits.

Most of the threads come together at the end, even if rather quickly, as if the word limit had been reached.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Late Checkout. Really well written with a great cast of characters, plenty of twists and turns and surprises, one of those reads that just flow and keep you engaged throughout. Really good.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good beginning, but I guessed who the murderer was quite early on as there weren’t many suspects to choose from. The ending was rather a rushed job, falling flat. But I liked DCI Kenny Murrain and will probably read the next in the series.

[Theweakestlynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to seeing more of Kenny Murrain

DCI Murrain gets "feelings" which help him solve crimes. That should take this book into more of a magical/fantasy genre, but it's very definitely a crime novel. Thoroughly enjoyed it, and didn't guess whodunnit till fairly near the end, although all the clues were there. Added bonus for me was that it was set in my home town, so could picture everywhere -fairly sure I've been to a wedding in the same hotel as the wedding in the book as well.

[Marie Garratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, not least because I recognised the locations as its set in my home town! The main character is a DCI with a difference - he has a sixth sense or second sight which helps him to solve the cases.
The case here was interesting and I think I solved it just before they did! I look forward to getting to know the characters in the next instalment!

[Trish R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not real sure why I kept reading this. It never occurred to me to give up BUT it was really quite boring. I guess I just wanted to know who the murderer was. There’s a murder and Murrain and Milton go to see everything then go back to the office and talk about it and look into that person’s life then another murder and they’d go again and see it and look into the person’s life then do it again. I mean, that’s really all there was to this. Even the ending was anticlimactic and flat, just like the story itself. I doubt I’ll be reading this author again.

No romance and the F-bomb was used 50 times.

As to the narration: Greg Wagland is not a good narrator. His women sound like men and he doesn’t have a bit of emotions when he reads. BUT he was perfectly boring narrator for this perfectly boring book.

[Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs' · Rating 5 out of 5]

The narration and story worked - just absolutely drew me in and I had to keep listening to find out what was happening (yes I did guess but wanted to know the why)

[luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. good start to a series.

[♡ Hel Nemisis ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Late Checkout by Alex Walters, oh, how it left me longing for an early checkout from this book. This supposed thriller had me checking my watch more than the actual plot twists.

Walters tries to create suspense, but it's about as suspenseful as waiting for a snail to finish a marathon. The pacing is so sluggish that by the time something interesting happens, you've already mentally checked out of the story.

The characters, well, they're as forgettable as yesterday's leftovers. I couldn't help but feel like I've encountered these clichéd personalities in a dozen other books before. Give me some spice, give me some zest - instead, all I got was a bland, tasteless soup of cardboard figures.

The writing style is as exciting as watching paint dry on a white wall - it's the literary equivalent of beige. Walters seems allergic to descriptive language, leaving the scenes flatter than a pancake on a diet. A little flair and imagination could have gone a long way, but alas, it's as if the author checked their creativity at the door.

As for the plot, it's so predictable that a crystal ball would be rendered useless. I knew what would happen next before the characters did, which made reading the book as thrilling as folding laundry.

The book is like a puzzle missing half its pieces - unsatisfying and incomplete. It had the potential to be a page-turner, but it ultimately checked out of delivering any real excitement. Save your valuable time and find a more thrilling vacation read; this one is best left forgotten in the lost and found.

[Sheridan Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good story, likeable characters and a couple of twists and turns.
Good ending.

[Gail Radka · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good first book in the series, the characters being built and introduced. A good solid storyline with a few twists. I am looking forward to book 2

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

DCI Kenny Murrain is a detective with a difference as he has a ‘sixth sense’ which makes him a most interesting character. Over time he has learned to pay attention to these feelings. He is also very likeable and the members of his team all get along and work together well, including Marie Donovan who has only recently joined them.
Several murders occur, victims of a savage knife attack. The killer has left no evidence behind which is a mystery. However by clever deduction and listening to his inner voice he comes to the knowledge that the killer now has Marie Donovan selected as the next victim. I was hooked from the start.The plot is fast paced and exciting leading up to a dramatic finale. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

[Miss Dizzy Read · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got to half way and skimmed the rest, too slow moving for me, dull characters and flat story.

[Rakky · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a woman is found murdered in a Manchester hotel, DCI Kenny Murrain is called in to lead the investigation. The crime scene raises more questions than answers: a violent killing, yet chillingly precise. No forensics. No witnesses. No obvious motive. Because this killer isn’t just choosing victims. They’re sending a message. And DCI Murrain might be the one it’s meant for.

On to the positives first:

The storytelling, descriptions, and scene-setting were all executed quite well. I'm one of those people who should have a proper "film" running in their head while reading, safe to say this one ticked all the boxes in that front.

To the mixed parts now:

While the story was good, I felt the structure could have been improved. There were multiple parallel plotlines that remained unconnected for a long time. However, the story did reach a favorable pace once everything was finally tied together.

The pace was fairly slow. I felt that in an attempt to keep the element of mystery, the narrative looped multiple times which gave the impression that the book was being dragged out. But I'm gonna give this the benefit of the doubt and assume this was by choice to mirror the investigators' experience of going in circles. There were quite a few plot twists, but most were predictable.

There were many characters and the narration shifts through everyone's POV. Unfortunately, there was often a lack of clarity regarding who was narrating at any given moment. It would have been helpful if the chapters included character names. While it was easy to identify the main characters, the secondary ones were difficult to follow.

However, I loved the casual banter within the investigating team. It provided a good contrast to the gore of the crime and a nice respite from the seriousness of the investigation.

While on the subject of characters, I felt like a lot of characters were underutilized or they weren't essentially adding anything to the story. Also, some of the plot points were abandoned without any closure - I'm assuming these will be picked up in the sequels (I haven't read them yet so maybe off with this).

Once the pace finally picked up, I was hoping for a high-energy ending, but it felt rushed. Many threads were left without closure, yet the ending didn't feel intentionally open-ended either. I’ll likely have to read the rest of the series to understand it better.

I can't say this is a quick read as it took me a while to get into the story. A 2.5/5 read.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

I discovered Alex Walters a few years ago when I read Candles and Roses and really loved it but never seemed to get around to reading any more of his novels. Then I got hold of a copy of Winterman and realised that I had been missing a huge opportunity by not reading any more of this fantastic author’s work. This, the first in the Kenny Murrain series, is excellent and I am about to drive straight into the next one.

The book is extremely professionally written and has a divisive and complex plot which kept me guessing right up until the very end. There are loads of twists and turns and the reader is taken down dark avenues in the hunt for the killer who seems determined to keep the police guessing with their intricate ways of capturing the victims and committing the murders. The plot itself is fast paced and, despite the long chapters, kept me turning the pages well into the night until I could no longer keep my eyes open. It is one of the books that you just can’t put down and grips you to the very end. All the characters are very well formed and come across as likeable and interesting, which always makes it easier to read a book when you actually like the people in it. DCI Kenny Murrain is a very strange man with an amazing gift for sensing events that no-one else can, and it’s fortunate that his team have learnt to trust his feelings and are able to act on them. This is a part of the story that I really enjoyed and am looking forward to finding out more about him. I have also discovered that the new member of the team, Marie Donovan, had 2 books in her own series so I am now keen to read those and find out more about her. Completing the team, Joe Milton is another character who I immediately felt endeared to and am keen to get to know more about his story. For fans of crime mysteries and thrillers this is perfect, and I highly recommend it.

[Norma · Rating 4 out of 5]

( Format : Audiobook )
"Interchangeable."

A most enjoyable murder mystery, British police , of sorts. The discover of the unidentified body of a woman found stabbed in an hotel room, then another shortly after, launches a full scale search for the perpetrator but the team struggle to dis over not only who, but why. Interestingly written, the story sweeps through the pov of numerous protagonists each leading seamlessly to the next and providing clear.character portraits of each person mentioned. It's a clever device which both confuses as it draws the reader in more closely. The story itself which emerged more slowly was intriguing also. The characters felt more realistic by the normality of the conversations. However there were a couple of odd mistakes peppering the tale such as mentioning that both twin beds in an hotel room were, like the floor, covered in plastic but later that an attack took place on the queen sized be in the room. Silly details which should have been edited out.

Narration was by Greg Wagland, a voice artist previously unknown to me, and he was well suited to the novel, his voice both pleasant on the ear with a general home counties type English accent..The reading was well paced and modulated, and, although he did not attempt to differentiate between characters in conversations, which are numerous, by changing voice timbre, who was speaking was nevertheless always clear.

Late Checkout is the first of three stories in the DCI Kenny Murrain series currently avai?able for free download through the Audible Plus programme. I'm looking forward to hearing book two.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I downloaded this on KU & it was free with my Audible membership, so I listened & read simultaneously.

I really enjoyed this story, the characters were relatable & the plot was intriguing. I loved how the author planted several red herrings along the way, giving me cause to rethink my whodunnit theories.

I think the story kept a good pace, the characters were well written & interacted well - there weren't so many characters that you struggled to keep up with who was who, & everyone played a part that was integral to the storyline. I really enjoyed the banter among the characters, & how those who knew Murrain just accepted his 'feelings' as part of his modus operandi, & allowed him the time to work with those feelings - even if they did take the rise occasionally.

My only slight disappointment was that in the last couple of chapters, the story seemed to become rushed like the author was running close to the deadline, so he had to finish the story pronto - that made the ending a little predictable & abrupt.

I will probably read another of Alex Walter's books as I do like his writing style, but I think this book could have been a little longer and the ending a bit better planned out, but over all I enjoyed this story.

[Peter Marsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the synopsis and it didn't seem all that appealing but, having trawled through pages and pages of Kindle Unlimited offerings I could feel my blood sugar levels declining, I needed to take a punt. I ended up being both surprised and disappointed. The plot was good, which was the surprise and the disappointment was that the author had skewered it with the, in my view, wholly unnecessary ESP, second sight, remote viewing, spidey-sense bullshit.

I know it was there in the synopsis and it may seem churlish to denigrate it for being what it clearly spelled out it was going to be and I would have been ready to abandon it if it became too preposterous but the plot, the way the moving pieces were handled and the characterisations were all good and there was never much doubt, from quite early on, that I would see it through to the end.

I, sort of, understand the author's desire to make his creation stand out in a crowded field but I don't feel that Murrain's paranormal frissons are the way to go. Nevertheless, I'll give another one a go in hope rather than expectation that the claptrap will recede into the background.

[Tamsin Blain · Rating 4 out of 5]

“DCI Kenny Murrain sees, hears and feels things that others do not. It's a gift but also a curse.
When he wakes to the phantom sound of screaming, he knows a murder has been committed” - blurb

Book one of DCI Kenny Murrain

With the book blurb sounding promising and being told it’s a great thriller, I was mildly disappointed. It lacked the punch promised with Murrain’s psychic abilities. In the other hand it showed how the ability helps and frequently points them the right way but it’s only the actual hard grind of the Murder Investigation Team that truly solves cases.

Murrain and his officers are a likeable group of characters. There are sufficient flotsam and jetsam of the criminal element with the personalities you can enjoy cringing at and despising. For a while it’s a hard choice who’s more loathsome, the thoroughly unpleasant creep and ladies man on the force (not part of Murrain’s team) or the unknown evil taking the children.

Definitely will read more of this series, a good easy read and hopefully a further exploration of Murrain’s gift/curse will be found.

[Steven Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

DCI Kenny Murrain sees, hears and feels things that others do not. It’s a gift but also a curse.
When he wakes to the phantom sound of screaming he knows a murder has been committed but not where or why.
Then a woman’s body is found in a Stockport hotel room. It’s a murder that seems both frenzied and carefully planned, the scene expertly cleansed of any evidence.
Over the following days, more bodies are discovered, first in an upmarket spa on the Pennine moors, then in a run-down budget hotel on the outskirts of Manchester.
The same frenzied attacks, the same meticulous planning. The same killer.
The victims all have links to one man, a police colleague with a dark past. But Murrain discovers a more unexpected connection—with Marie Donovan, a former undercover officer now part of Murrain’s own team.
As the killer closes in on a fourth victim, Murrain knows that time is running out. But the outcome will be more unexpected and more terrifying than even he can imagine…

[Radella Hardwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did solve it myself and only just before the characters worked it out, so I wasn't sat there mentally yelling at them to open their eyes. Better yet, there was a moment early on where the characters could've missed the obvious to maintain a wrong solution and they didn't.

My only gripe about the actual solution is that it's served up by a character who isn't part of the investigating team, so I'm left unclear on whether these people are good detectives or just follow the evidence wherever it goes.

Walters tries to add a mysticism element and, while it's less offensive than the Roy Grace book, it was pretty ineffectual. So, I don't understand why it was there at all.

As for continuing with the series, there's nothing to draw me onward as the investigators are pretty much 2-dimensional. It's the suspects, victims and even a couple of the witnesses who get fleshed out, not the characters one expects to re-occur in later books.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read and I was hooked immediately. I really enjoy a good police procedural and this is just that, with a twist. DCI Kenny Murrain is a cop with a difference; he hears and sees things other people can’t. When he hears a woman screaming on Sunday morning he knows that something awful has happened but he doesn’t know exactly where. Shortly afterwards, a woman’s body is discovered in another hotel room. This sets off a chain of killings that Murrain and his colleagues struggle to understand or find a motive for.

I really liked the characters in this novel and the narrative moves at a cracking pace. The writing is excellent and the outcome is very clever. I’m away to read more books by Alex Walters.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads tells me that I read 230+ books in 2020 - pandemic year. Probably 80% were audiobooks. I don't have TV. I am totally impressed with this narrator, Greg Wagland. I will continue this series but also look for other titles he narrates. As for this book ... well, for me the "sixth sense" thing doesn't work either for or against. I've always loved the magical realism of Alice Hoffman. So having this aspect show up in a 'mystery' genre series is ok by me. There are lots of good things in this book, even though I guessed the 'whodunit' early on, to entice me further. The last few lines of text though... too schmaltzy or I might just have given a 5 star rating for the genre - which I rarely do.

[Taylor Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book however I feel the description is somewhat misleading. The main reason I picked this book was because of the visions etc. however this was more of an 'intuition' and not in the same way I was expecting.

The book was fast paced and fairly short, I managed to read it in one day whilst I was travelling. I enjoyed the writing style however I did find myself skipping over paragraphs in some places. I haven't read any other books with these characters but I liked them and felt there was enough background to make sense.

[Melanie Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's great to have a police team who seem to genuinely like working together and aren't busy trying to crawl over each other in a desperate attempt to gain promotion at their colleagues' expense. The story is very clever, and the end was a genuine surprise that I didn't see coming. DCI Murrain is a very engaging character and although this is my first book by this author, it won't be my last. Well worth a read

[Donna ~ The Romance Cover · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had great potential, but the execution was a little off. The story itself felt a little disjointed with connections here, there and everywhere, as if they were threads floating in among the pages. Not sure if this was intended or not, but it detracted from what was a good story in itself. The threads do eventually come together, but the speed with which they were all wrapped up was a bit quick and rushed. It was just as if the word count had been hit and that was end of it.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Late Checkout is my first book by Alex Walters and I've found a new favorite. I love a good Police Procedural and this one is right up there with the best!! Excellent well developed characters with the added twist of DCI Murrain's gift of "insight". I'm off to read all by the author and I particularly want to see many more in the DCI Kenny Murrain series.

[P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable

I found this to an enjoyable and entertaining read. There was a detailed plot and the sense of intuition experienced by Kenny was not overplayed. That all the police were not perfect examples of the profession but a mixture of genuine and flawed humanity made the whole thing feel a bit more real

[Rosemary Hughes]

I have submitted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title.

A woman is found stabbed to death. It was only the first found, but the police were totally baffled, with no forensic evidence to assist in their enquiries.
As events unfold, the DI's spidery sense helps in steering the way forward. Who their murderer is will become a twist in a very strange case.

[Carol Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good listen thought there might be more supernatural to it but it is a tingle as the narrator says which the DCI takes as a meaning of a crime being committed but not where or who, perhaps that does happen, I did enjoy the story but forget the tingle bit and go with what all the cops do and go with a hunch.
Good writing and a good narrator characters are well thought out and good story.