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DS Manon Bradshaw #2
Persons Unknown
A new crime novel featuring the unforgettable Detective Manon Bradshaw—a man is stabbed in a park near her home and the case threatens those Manon loves the most.
Detective Manon Bradshaw is five months pregnant and has officially given up on finding romantic love. Instead, she is in hot-pursuit of work-life balance and parked in a cold case corridor—the price she’s had to pay for a transfer back to Cambridgeshire. This is fine, she tells herself. She can devote herself to bringing up her two children—the new baby, and her adopted 12-year-old son Fly Dent. He needed a fresh start—he was being forever stopped and searched in London by officers who couldn’t see past the color of his skin. Manon feared Fly, increasingly sullen and adolescent, was getting in with the wrong crowd at school, or possibly that he was the wrong crowd. Being there for the children, and home by five, is what Manon tells herself she needs.
Yet when a wealthy victim is found stabbed close to police HQ, she can’t help but sidle in on the briefing: he is a banker from London, worth millions. More dramatically, he was also Manon’s sister Ellie’s ex, and the father of her toddler son. The investigation swirls with greater and greater urgency, and as it begins to circle in on Manon’s home and her family, she finds herself pitted against the former colleagues she once held dear—Davy Walker and Harriet Harper.
Can Manon separate what she feels about the people she loves, from the suspicion hanging over them? Can she interrogate the evidence, just as she would with any other case? And when Manon instructs defence lawyer Mark Talbot to work alongside her, can she refrain from throwing herself at him in a manner unbecoming to a woman at an advanced stage of pregnancy? Manon must fight to find the truth with every fiber of her being.
Detective Manon Bradshaw is five months pregnant and has officially given up on finding romantic love. Instead, she is in hot-pursuit of work-life balance and parked in a cold case corridor—the price she’s had to pay for a transfer back to Cambridgeshire. This is fine, she tells herself. She can devote herself to bringing up her two children—the new baby, and her adopted 12-year-old son Fly Dent. He needed a fresh start—he was being forever stopped and searched in London by officers who couldn’t see past the color of his skin. Manon feared Fly, increasingly sullen and adolescent, was getting in with the wrong crowd at school, or possibly that he was the wrong crowd. Being there for the children, and home by five, is what Manon tells herself she needs.
Yet when a wealthy victim is found stabbed close to police HQ, she can’t help but sidle in on the briefing: he is a banker from London, worth millions. More dramatically, he was also Manon’s sister Ellie’s ex, and the father of her toddler son. The investigation swirls with greater and greater urgency, and as it begins to circle in on Manon’s home and her family, she finds herself pitted against the former colleagues she once held dear—Davy Walker and Harriet Harper.
Can Manon separate what she feels about the people she loves, from the suspicion hanging over them? Can she interrogate the evidence, just as she would with any other case? And when Manon instructs defence lawyer Mark Talbot to work alongside her, can she refrain from throwing herself at him in a manner unbecoming to a woman at an advanced stage of pregnancy? Manon must fight to find the truth with every fiber of her being.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
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July 21, 2017
Police procedural that crosses boundaries from professional to personal.
Having moved from London to Cambridgeshire to give her 12 year-old adopted son, Fly, a fresh start, DI Manon Bradshaw finds herself in a quandary. While Fly was at risk of going down the wrong path in London, he is certainly not thriving in Cambridgeshire. Making matters even more complicated, Manon is 5 months pregnant. She and Fly live with her sister Ellie, and Ellie’s two-year old son, Solly. When Solly’s father is murdered, Fly becomes the main suspect. Manon must do all that she can to protect her son, even if it means breaking the law. She comes to learn that the person she trusts the most is the one that she can trust the least.
This is a multi layered, slow-burning, intricately plotted mystery. It’s slow in the beginning, but at a certain point there’s a shift and things take off. Having read book one, I was happy to see Manon’s character evolve. She is a character who is intricately flawed and tends to rub those around her in the wrong way (including readers), but I really like her. In this book, she has transformed from grumpy mess into an emotional mess. Her character is much softer and more vulnerable than in the first book. Persons Unknown can be read as a standalone, but it would be a more enjoyable experience if you read book one. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Having moved from London to Cambridgeshire to give her 12 year-old adopted son, Fly, a fresh start, DI Manon Bradshaw finds herself in a quandary. While Fly was at risk of going down the wrong path in London, he is certainly not thriving in Cambridgeshire. Making matters even more complicated, Manon is 5 months pregnant. She and Fly live with her sister Ellie, and Ellie’s two-year old son, Solly. When Solly’s father is murdered, Fly becomes the main suspect. Manon must do all that she can to protect her son, even if it means breaking the law. She comes to learn that the person she trusts the most is the one that she can trust the least.
This is a multi layered, slow-burning, intricately plotted mystery. It’s slow in the beginning, but at a certain point there’s a shift and things take off. Having read book one, I was happy to see Manon’s character evolve. She is a character who is intricately flawed and tends to rub those around her in the wrong way (including readers), but I really like her. In this book, she has transformed from grumpy mess into an emotional mess. Her character is much softer and more vulnerable than in the first book. Persons Unknown can be read as a standalone, but it would be a more enjoyable experience if you read book one. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2017
3.75 Stars.
I wanted to love “Persons Unknown” the sequel to Susie Steiner’s “Missing Presumed” as I really liked the first book - unfortunately for me, the mystery was somewhat lackluster and took a long time to build and the story line left me wanting.
Detective Superintendent Manon Bradshaw and is back in Cambridgeshire, with her adopted black, twelve year-old son, Fly Dent. They are now living with her sister Ellie and Ellie’s son Solly, having left London. Fly hates Cambridgeshire. He misses his home in London and he misses his old friends - even if he constantly got into trouble with them. Manon thought Cambridgeshire would be better for him, yet she never asked his opinion before uprooting him. And both having been keeping secrets ever since.
Manon now works on cold cases at the police department, until a successful businessman, Jon-Oliver, who has ties to both Ellie and Solly, is stabbed on the street. Things go from bad to worse when her son Fly, is seen on the CCTV footage, wearing a black hoodie, walking past as Jon Oliver falls to the ground, thus Fly is immediately arrested. Once she is pushed out of the official investigation, Manon works to investigate the case on her own, prove Fly’s innocence and find out what really happened.
The story line is told from multiple viewpoints. That of Manon; DS Davy Walker (the investigating officer, who tries to do his job, while also trying to help his friend, Manon); Birdie (a quickie mart shop owner, who sees a lot and know everyone); and Angel (a young woman who is in need of serious help and is befriended by Birdie).
I had read Susie Steiner’s “Missing Presumed” and had extremely high hopes for this novel. I was excited to find out what happened to Manon and her adopted son Fly Dent. For me however, this story started off extremely slow. The beginning of the novel felt disjointed. The character of Manon wasn’t prominently featured until about halfway through and parts of her storyline weren’t explained until then and I was left wondering, confused by what was happening and was frankly annoyed by her actions and behavior. While I liked the characters of Birdie and Angel, I wasn’t invested in them and had a hard time connecting with the storyline. That said, around the midway point, the mystery picked up and all of the characters’ stories intertwined and from then on, my interest was piqued and I was in it.
All in all I enjoyed the book and am glad it finally got good. I look forward to seeing what else Susie Steiner has in store. Keep em’ coming.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Susie Steiner for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Netgalley and Goodreads on 4/16/17.
**Will be published on Amazon on 7/4/17.
I wanted to love “Persons Unknown” the sequel to Susie Steiner’s “Missing Presumed” as I really liked the first book - unfortunately for me, the mystery was somewhat lackluster and took a long time to build and the story line left me wanting.
Detective Superintendent Manon Bradshaw and is back in Cambridgeshire, with her adopted black, twelve year-old son, Fly Dent. They are now living with her sister Ellie and Ellie’s son Solly, having left London. Fly hates Cambridgeshire. He misses his home in London and he misses his old friends - even if he constantly got into trouble with them. Manon thought Cambridgeshire would be better for him, yet she never asked his opinion before uprooting him. And both having been keeping secrets ever since.
Manon now works on cold cases at the police department, until a successful businessman, Jon-Oliver, who has ties to both Ellie and Solly, is stabbed on the street. Things go from bad to worse when her son Fly, is seen on the CCTV footage, wearing a black hoodie, walking past as Jon Oliver falls to the ground, thus Fly is immediately arrested. Once she is pushed out of the official investigation, Manon works to investigate the case on her own, prove Fly’s innocence and find out what really happened.
The story line is told from multiple viewpoints. That of Manon; DS Davy Walker (the investigating officer, who tries to do his job, while also trying to help his friend, Manon); Birdie (a quickie mart shop owner, who sees a lot and know everyone); and Angel (a young woman who is in need of serious help and is befriended by Birdie).
I had read Susie Steiner’s “Missing Presumed” and had extremely high hopes for this novel. I was excited to find out what happened to Manon and her adopted son Fly Dent. For me however, this story started off extremely slow. The beginning of the novel felt disjointed. The character of Manon wasn’t prominently featured until about halfway through and parts of her storyline weren’t explained until then and I was left wondering, confused by what was happening and was frankly annoyed by her actions and behavior. While I liked the characters of Birdie and Angel, I wasn’t invested in them and had a hard time connecting with the storyline. That said, around the midway point, the mystery picked up and all of the characters’ stories intertwined and from then on, my interest was piqued and I was in it.
All in all I enjoyed the book and am glad it finally got good. I look forward to seeing what else Susie Steiner has in store. Keep em’ coming.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Susie Steiner for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Netgalley and Goodreads on 4/16/17.
**Will be published on Amazon on 7/4/17.
June 13, 2017
4 stars
Persons Unknown is book #2 of the DS Manon (pronounced Ma-No with the emphasis on the second syllable) Bradshaw series. Though I liked the first book, Missing Presumed, a bit better, this too was a very enjoyable read.
My main complaint is the slow start. I was expecting a full on police procedural whereas what I got was a tale where the emphasis is on the characters’ struggles. This is not bad, just unexpected. Furthermore, early on, I found myself often irritated with Manon, and especially her work colleague DS Davy Walker. I also noted my interest flagging when I came upon chapters devoted to Birdie and Saskia. I got confused over similar names of several minor characters—Colin, Conley, Conor. Corporate names also led to frequent use of the Search button. These latter issues were flow-busters for me.
By midpoint, however, things picked up considerably, and I found myself engrossed. A number of important themes emerged. At the top are the tragedy of racial profiling and the ugly privilege of the rich white man. Breakdown of family relationships and just what defines a family are also addressed, as is the erosion of human spirit. The police were not seen in the best light in this book. Sloppy police work, easy jumps to false conclusions, and again, racial profiling led the way here.
The highlight for me came in the final chapters when several characters, most prominently Manon and Davy, bare their souls and philosophical insights. I thought this was extremely well done. I also found the overall ending to be realistic, not Hollywoodish as is so often done. As I read this book, my star rating rose progressively from 3 at best to a solid 4. If I could, I would rate the last chapters a stellar 5 stars.
I have Susie Steiner on my author watchlist. I see a ton of potential in her writing and will read her next book with blurb unread, as I do with my stable of go-to/read-all-they-write authors. With the way things ended in Persons Unknown, it is not clear to me that the DS Manon Bradshaw series will continue as it is at a natural stop point. I hope however that we do see Manon again. I want to see where her life and her work go from here.
I wish to thank Net Galley, Random House Books, and Ms. Susie Steiner for an ARC of this novel. The opinions in my review are unbiased and are mine alone.
Persons Unknown is book #2 of the DS Manon (pronounced Ma-No with the emphasis on the second syllable) Bradshaw series. Though I liked the first book, Missing Presumed, a bit better, this too was a very enjoyable read.
My main complaint is the slow start. I was expecting a full on police procedural whereas what I got was a tale where the emphasis is on the characters’ struggles. This is not bad, just unexpected. Furthermore, early on, I found myself often irritated with Manon, and especially her work colleague DS Davy Walker. I also noted my interest flagging when I came upon chapters devoted to Birdie and Saskia. I got confused over similar names of several minor characters—Colin, Conley, Conor. Corporate names also led to frequent use of the Search button. These latter issues were flow-busters for me.
By midpoint, however, things picked up considerably, and I found myself engrossed. A number of important themes emerged. At the top are the tragedy of racial profiling and the ugly privilege of the rich white man. Breakdown of family relationships and just what defines a family are also addressed, as is the erosion of human spirit. The police were not seen in the best light in this book. Sloppy police work, easy jumps to false conclusions, and again, racial profiling led the way here.
The highlight for me came in the final chapters when several characters, most prominently Manon and Davy, bare their souls and philosophical insights. I thought this was extremely well done. I also found the overall ending to be realistic, not Hollywoodish as is so often done. As I read this book, my star rating rose progressively from 3 at best to a solid 4. If I could, I would rate the last chapters a stellar 5 stars.
I have Susie Steiner on my author watchlist. I see a ton of potential in her writing and will read her next book with blurb unread, as I do with my stable of go-to/read-all-they-write authors. With the way things ended in Persons Unknown, it is not clear to me that the DS Manon Bradshaw series will continue as it is at a natural stop point. I hope however that we do see Manon again. I want to see where her life and her work go from here.
I wish to thank Net Galley, Random House Books, and Ms. Susie Steiner for an ARC of this novel. The opinions in my review are unbiased and are mine alone.
April 29, 2017
This is the second in the DS Manon Bradshaw series which has seen her and her 12 year old adopted son, Fly Dent, move to Cambridgeshire to live with Manon's estranged sister, Ellie, and her son, Solly. Manon transferred from London to protect Fly, he would have stability and a better future but never actually consulted Fly about this decision. A bullied and unsettled Fly is unhappy and missing his familiar London and his troublesome friends. Furthermore, he is feeling desperately insecure as the 42 year old Manon is pregnant as a result of IVF. Manon is now working cold cases for the police.
Jon-Oliver, a rich London banker, is fatally stabbed, he was Ellie's ex-partner and Solly's father. To Manon's dismay, Fly is captured on CCTV at the scene and has the victim's blood on his trainers. He is arrested and taken into custody despite reservations from the police team. Convinced of Fly's innocence, Manon is excluded from the police team, although DS Davey Walker keeps her informed. Despite battling morning sickness and exhaustion, Manon conducts her own personal investigation to exonerate Fly and uncover the truth behind the killing, aided by Fly's lawyer, Mark Talbot. This leads her to a distressingly close look at her own family where the manipulative Ellie is keeping her own secrets and begs the question whether we ever really know those closest to us. The case leads to dark doings in an opaque banking industry.
This is a dark, tense, character driven police procedural with a gripping narrative, delivered from multiple perspectives. It has an intricate plot that kept me hooked. The complex psychological and authentic characterisation is the greatest strength of this series. Manon feels real, with all the guilt feelings and stresses of a single mother. I particularly loved the lonely and quirky shop keeper, Birdie. Susie Steiner weaves a compelling contemporary social and cultural commentary on issues such as race and family. A great entertaining and absorbing read that I recommend. Thanks to Random House for an ARC.
Jon-Oliver, a rich London banker, is fatally stabbed, he was Ellie's ex-partner and Solly's father. To Manon's dismay, Fly is captured on CCTV at the scene and has the victim's blood on his trainers. He is arrested and taken into custody despite reservations from the police team. Convinced of Fly's innocence, Manon is excluded from the police team, although DS Davey Walker keeps her informed. Despite battling morning sickness and exhaustion, Manon conducts her own personal investigation to exonerate Fly and uncover the truth behind the killing, aided by Fly's lawyer, Mark Talbot. This leads her to a distressingly close look at her own family where the manipulative Ellie is keeping her own secrets and begs the question whether we ever really know those closest to us. The case leads to dark doings in an opaque banking industry.
This is a dark, tense, character driven police procedural with a gripping narrative, delivered from multiple perspectives. It has an intricate plot that kept me hooked. The complex psychological and authentic characterisation is the greatest strength of this series. Manon feels real, with all the guilt feelings and stresses of a single mother. I particularly loved the lonely and quirky shop keeper, Birdie. Susie Steiner weaves a compelling contemporary social and cultural commentary on issues such as race and family. A great entertaining and absorbing read that I recommend. Thanks to Random House for an ARC.
July 13, 2017
Steiner has created a character who is very easy to relate too, she has so many contrasting characteristics to her personality, tough and yet compassionate, fearless except when it come to a certain twelve year old. Fly, a young black male that she adopted in the previous book. Their relationship though is a work in progress. The case in this book will hit very close to Manon's home and heart. A very timely case concerning racial bias and Manon will find out who her friends are, those who are willing to help despite consequences to themselves and their own jobs.
Second book in this series, and though I really didn't want to pick up another series, I am quite taken with this one. Well written, alot of heart and interesting scenarios make for a good read.
ARC from publisher.
Second book in this series, and though I really didn't want to pick up another series, I am quite taken with this one. Well written, alot of heart and interesting scenarios make for a good read.
ARC from publisher.
June 8, 2017
I was a huge fan of Missing, Presumed, so was thrilled to see the second in the series was being published. Steiner did a fabulous job in the first book of painting both her characters and the scenes with explicit brush strokes. And she does it here again. “It is almost impossible to stay fixed in not knowing. Instead, she ricochets.” Like before, I was highlighting descriptions left and right. And she doesn't just provide these wonderful details with Manon. Davy, as well. “There's been no one since Chloe...not so much that she put him off all relationships, more that he didn't get back on the horse, and now he's not even in the vicinity of a stable.”
In this book, Manon has moved out of London with her sister, Ellie, and their kids, including Fly, Manon’s adopted 12 year old. He is the only black in is new school and is not fitting in. Before you know it, Fly has been accused of the murder of Jon-Oliver, the father of Ellie’s three year old son. You, the reader, are privy to Jon-Oliver’s background as well as the story from the viewpoint of someone who knows more of what has happened. I'm always entranced by stories where we know more of the story than the detectives. How will it all come together?
This isn't a fast paced story. No swoops or roller coaster rides. But it's a nice steady pace. And as with some of my other favorite mysteries (Louise Penny, Archer Mayor, William Kent Krueger) you're drawn in as much by how you get to know and appreciate the main characters. I can only hope like with my other favorite authors, there are many more Manon Bradshaw mysteries ahead of us.
My thanks to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
In this book, Manon has moved out of London with her sister, Ellie, and their kids, including Fly, Manon’s adopted 12 year old. He is the only black in is new school and is not fitting in. Before you know it, Fly has been accused of the murder of Jon-Oliver, the father of Ellie’s three year old son. You, the reader, are privy to Jon-Oliver’s background as well as the story from the viewpoint of someone who knows more of what has happened. I'm always entranced by stories where we know more of the story than the detectives. How will it all come together?
This isn't a fast paced story. No swoops or roller coaster rides. But it's a nice steady pace. And as with some of my other favorite mysteries (Louise Penny, Archer Mayor, William Kent Krueger) you're drawn in as much by how you get to know and appreciate the main characters. I can only hope like with my other favorite authors, there are many more Manon Bradshaw mysteries ahead of us.
My thanks to netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.
July 8, 2017
I gave Susie Steiner's first DS Manon mystery Missing Presumed an enthusiastic 4 stars and I feel exactly the same about Persons Unknown. Steiner hits all the right chords for me. Manon has moved from London to Cambridgeshire with her adopted son Fly to live with her sister and her son. Manon is also pregnant and supposed to be working on cold cases to keep her work life a bit more quiet. No such luck. The murder of her sister's ex quickly has Manon heavily engaged in an investigation from which she is supposed to keep away. That's the set up, but as with many mysteries I love it's not so much the plot that has me interested as the characters, context and social commentary. Manon is a strong flawed but well intentioned detective. I particularly like her determination mixed in with a good dose of self doubt. The story unfolds from the perspective of a handful of other really interesting characters. And Steiner touches on a few tough topics -- like the challenges Manon faces having adopted a black boy from an tough neighbourhood -- and she doesn't deal with them in a pat way. I choose to disregard what others may see as a flaw in this one, which is that it relies a bit too heavily on a couple of pretty implausible coincidences, giving the sense that Manon's world is populated by a small group of closely intertwined people. And the resolution is odd, but I actually quite liked the sense of imbalance it creates. Now I'm really looking forward to reading the next one in the series. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
August 14, 2017
Witty & sarcastic Manon is back in this second book of Susie Steiner's Manon Bradshaw series. In this book Manon is very pregnant so Davy handles the investigation while Manon is relegated to desk duty.
I find it hysterical that Steiner just loves to give her main character, Manon Bradshaw icky physical ailments. In her first book, Missing, Presumed, Manon had an eye infection that became so bad that it actually repulsed me. While most people are fairly vein about their appearance, Manon ignored the problem, refused to see a doctor even though it was nasty to look at and she continued to run around interviewing suspects, witnesses, and interacting with co-workers. This time she's 5 months pregnant but of course she can't just be pregnant, she has to be enormous to the point where she has trouble walking, while compulsively devouring everything in sight. And after she gives birth, Steiner describes Manon's boob when she breast feeds in front of an embarrassed Davy as
"bobs downwards like an escaping jellyfish, eddying with blue veins. The nipple is dark and enormous." - so attractive. Her vivid descriptions are enough to put anyone off getting pregnant.
Yes, there is a mystery here, a man is discovered dead in the local park. It turns out that there is a family connection to Manon as the dead man was her sister Ellie's ex & the father of Ellie's young son. Oddly he also knew Manon's adopted son, Fly, without her being aware of it. Things take an alarming turn when Fly is accused of the murder.
Even though Davy actively investigates the murder, it feels like the mystery takes a backseat to Manon's personal problems with her pregnancy & adoptive son Fly. For much of this book Manon is stressed and depressed. Gone was the witty sarcastic humour that had me in stitches in the first book. And even though I only read the first book in this series less than a year ago, i found that i had forgotten quite a bit and unlike other authors, Steiner doesn't re-hash what happened in the past.
All in all, an interesting story, not quite as good as the first book. But worth reading for the growth and continuation of the characters, especially if you plan to read the next book in this series.
I find it hysterical that Steiner just loves to give her main character, Manon Bradshaw icky physical ailments. In her first book, Missing, Presumed, Manon had an eye infection that became so bad that it actually repulsed me. While most people are fairly vein about their appearance, Manon ignored the problem, refused to see a doctor even though it was nasty to look at and she continued to run around interviewing suspects, witnesses, and interacting with co-workers. This time she's 5 months pregnant but of course she can't just be pregnant, she has to be enormous to the point where she has trouble walking, while compulsively devouring everything in sight. And after she gives birth, Steiner describes Manon's boob when she breast feeds in front of an embarrassed Davy as
"bobs downwards like an escaping jellyfish, eddying with blue veins. The nipple is dark and enormous." - so attractive. Her vivid descriptions are enough to put anyone off getting pregnant.
Yes, there is a mystery here, a man is discovered dead in the local park. It turns out that there is a family connection to Manon as the dead man was her sister Ellie's ex & the father of Ellie's young son. Oddly he also knew Manon's adopted son, Fly, without her being aware of it. Things take an alarming turn when Fly is accused of the murder.
Even though Davy actively investigates the murder, it feels like the mystery takes a backseat to Manon's personal problems with her pregnancy & adoptive son Fly. For much of this book Manon is stressed and depressed. Gone was the witty sarcastic humour that had me in stitches in the first book. And even though I only read the first book in this series less than a year ago, i found that i had forgotten quite a bit and unlike other authors, Steiner doesn't re-hash what happened in the past.
All in all, an interesting story, not quite as good as the first book. But worth reading for the growth and continuation of the characters, especially if you plan to read the next book in this series.
September 16, 2017
PERSONS UNKNOWN (DS Manon, #2) by Susie Steiner’s is her second crime police procedural novel. I really enjoyed the first novel in this series, Missing, Presumed, (DS Manon, #1), as I was very impressed with the level of literary writing. The novel has also elements of psychological suspense, and is very much character-driven to flush out all the main characters, and allow them to come to life with all their dark humor and wit.
A new crime novel featuring the unforgettable Detective Manon Bradshaw—a man is stabbed in a park near her home and the case threatens those Manon loves the most.
In this book, Detective Manon Bradshaw is five months pregnant and has moved out of London back to Cambridgeshire, with her sister, Ellie, and their kids, including Fly, Manon’s adopted black 12- year old, that she adopted in the previous book. Manon has given up on love and is trying to obtain a more balanced work-life. But she has paid a price as now she just handles col-case files, but this allows her the time to devote to her family-the new baby, and her adopted 12-year-old son Fly Dent. Fly was always getting into the wrong crowd, and needed love and guidance in his life.
Then a wealthy victim, a banker from London is found stabbed close to police HQ. But he was also Manon’s sister Ellie’s ex, and the father of her toddler son. The investigation leads to Fly being accused of the murder of Jon-Oliver, the father of Ellie’s 3-year old son.
Manon finds herself fighting to protect her family and discover the truth.
This novel is steady-paced, slow at the beginning then speeding up midway, with information and clues revealed on a need-to-know basis.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Susie Steiner for an ARC of this novel.
A new crime novel featuring the unforgettable Detective Manon Bradshaw—a man is stabbed in a park near her home and the case threatens those Manon loves the most.
In this book, Detective Manon Bradshaw is five months pregnant and has moved out of London back to Cambridgeshire, with her sister, Ellie, and their kids, including Fly, Manon’s adopted black 12- year old, that she adopted in the previous book. Manon has given up on love and is trying to obtain a more balanced work-life. But she has paid a price as now she just handles col-case files, but this allows her the time to devote to her family-the new baby, and her adopted 12-year-old son Fly Dent. Fly was always getting into the wrong crowd, and needed love and guidance in his life.
Then a wealthy victim, a banker from London is found stabbed close to police HQ. But he was also Manon’s sister Ellie’s ex, and the father of her toddler son. The investigation leads to Fly being accused of the murder of Jon-Oliver, the father of Ellie’s 3-year old son.
Manon finds herself fighting to protect her family and discover the truth.
This novel is steady-paced, slow at the beginning then speeding up midway, with information and clues revealed on a need-to-know basis.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Susie Steiner for an ARC of this novel.
June 14, 2017
This is such a love story. I can see jaws dropping. Don't get me wrong, it is also a straight-forward police procedural. But still, such a love story. The all-encompassing love of family, in Manon's case her adopted son Fly, her unborn child, her sister, and her ridiculously adorable nephew. There is also the love of one's job and one's co-workers, corrosive self-love, the unexpected romantic love. But where there is love there is usually heartbreaking betrayal. Co-workers just doing their jobs, adopted sons looking for their blood fathers, a mother ripping a child from all he knows, and that same mother wondering why she wanted a child so badly. And the worst betrayal of all... letting someone else bear your sin.
A five months pregnant Manon and Fly have moved to Cambridgshire, Manon's old nick. Manon to cold cases, Fly to an all white school. The only plus for Fly is that aunt and cousin have come too. Manon is wanting to keep Fly away from the negatives of being a black kid in London. Instead he is introduced to the joy of being the only black kid around. The only black kid who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He soon finds himself put under arrest for murder. Arrested by his new mother's closest friends. Manon, of course is exiled from anything to do with the case. But by good friends and her force of will she is soon being supplied with information.
A straight ahead murder investigation. Well plotted. fast moving and exciting.
A few quibbles. I can't say I loved any of the characters. Which is to the good, I guess, because it means Steiner did a great job in making them real. I think if Solly had been my kid, he would have been sitting on the curb with a for sale sign, even though he is only a toddler. Davy did seem to finally grow a pair. While Manon was so irritating at times. Most of the time.
Also the London parts and some of those characters just seemed to show up, without any-as they say in court-foundation. It took a long time for some of the characters to show any affiliation with the rest of the book.
This is a series that should have legs. Very strong legs.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
A five months pregnant Manon and Fly have moved to Cambridgshire, Manon's old nick. Manon to cold cases, Fly to an all white school. The only plus for Fly is that aunt and cousin have come too. Manon is wanting to keep Fly away from the negatives of being a black kid in London. Instead he is introduced to the joy of being the only black kid around. The only black kid who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He soon finds himself put under arrest for murder. Arrested by his new mother's closest friends. Manon, of course is exiled from anything to do with the case. But by good friends and her force of will she is soon being supplied with information.
A straight ahead murder investigation. Well plotted. fast moving and exciting.
A few quibbles. I can't say I loved any of the characters. Which is to the good, I guess, because it means Steiner did a great job in making them real. I think if Solly had been my kid, he would have been sitting on the curb with a for sale sign, even though he is only a toddler. Davy did seem to finally grow a pair. While Manon was so irritating at times. Most of the time.
Also the London parts and some of those characters just seemed to show up, without any-as they say in court-foundation. It took a long time for some of the characters to show any affiliation with the rest of the book.
This is a series that should have legs. Very strong legs.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 3, 2017
I simply love Manon. She can be a jerk. She can be completely unreasonable and inconsiderate. She is deeply human and flawed, and is therefore immensely relatable. I would definitely recommend starting with the first book in this series. I don't think this book can be appreciated fully without starting from the beginning. Luckily, the first book is a great read in and of itself, so you won't just be reading to understand the history of the characters.
The writing is incredibly descriptive and well done, on occasion actually haunting. I went back and re-read a lot simply for my own enjoyment. This book involves many characters, and we get a lot of different perspectives. Because the different sections are all labeled and the characters are all so very different, it's actually not hard at all to keep track of who is who... and I'm saying that as someone who often has to search books to remember who a character is when I take a break from it.
Manon is leading a very different life than she did last book. She's pregnant, living with her sister and her nephew, and mothering a twelve year old she connected with in the first book and later adopted. Adopting an older child never goes easily... and young Fly isn't pleased with her decision to move him from London. She worried that he was being stopped and suspected of wrongdoing simply because he is black in the big city. Her solution is to move him to a smaller area, where he is one of the few black people around, exchanging one issue for another. He misses his friends and his home, and has started retreating deeper into himself.
When a man known by her sister is found murdered, Manon is stunned when Fly is accused. He hasn't exactly been forthcoming lately and she knows he's been hiding things, but this? It can't be. This is the boy that gets lost in books and lovingly cares for his toddler cousin. Surprisingly, they have video of him walking away from the scene and it seems like Fly is going to go down for it whether he did it or not.
To clear her son, Manon is on a mission to prove his innocence by finding out who actually killed the victim, who turns out to be a prominent businessman. Did he have enemies? Was his final whispered word, heard by the woman who found him and cradled him as he died, a clue?
This book features many different points on view. Along with Manon, we have Davy who is also a detective and two very different women who seem to be unrelated to the story at first. Reading as it all unfolds takes a little bit of patience, but it's worth it. I'm hoping this series continues.
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Random House, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
The writing is incredibly descriptive and well done, on occasion actually haunting. I went back and re-read a lot simply for my own enjoyment. This book involves many characters, and we get a lot of different perspectives. Because the different sections are all labeled and the characters are all so very different, it's actually not hard at all to keep track of who is who... and I'm saying that as someone who often has to search books to remember who a character is when I take a break from it.
Manon is leading a very different life than she did last book. She's pregnant, living with her sister and her nephew, and mothering a twelve year old she connected with in the first book and later adopted. Adopting an older child never goes easily... and young Fly isn't pleased with her decision to move him from London. She worried that he was being stopped and suspected of wrongdoing simply because he is black in the big city. Her solution is to move him to a smaller area, where he is one of the few black people around, exchanging one issue for another. He misses his friends and his home, and has started retreating deeper into himself.
When a man known by her sister is found murdered, Manon is stunned when Fly is accused. He hasn't exactly been forthcoming lately and she knows he's been hiding things, but this? It can't be. This is the boy that gets lost in books and lovingly cares for his toddler cousin. Surprisingly, they have video of him walking away from the scene and it seems like Fly is going to go down for it whether he did it or not.
To clear her son, Manon is on a mission to prove his innocence by finding out who actually killed the victim, who turns out to be a prominent businessman. Did he have enemies? Was his final whispered word, heard by the woman who found him and cradled him as he died, a clue?
This book features many different points on view. Along with Manon, we have Davy who is also a detective and two very different women who seem to be unrelated to the story at first. Reading as it all unfolds takes a little bit of patience, but it's worth it. I'm hoping this series continues.
I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Random House, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
June 24, 2017
I’ve been in a bit of a slump lately. The last few books I’ve read have been ok…nothing wrong with them but not anything that made me lock myself away & force abandoned family members to forage for themselves ’til I was done.
When I read the blurb on this, I was hoping for an exciting & complex police procedural that would keep me guessing. Sadly, it was not to be. Yes, Manon Bradshaw is a cop but despite the fact it opens with a body this is much more about the MC’s domestic situation than hunting down bad guys.
To be fair, she is forgiven for being a bit scattered & preoccupied. Manon is 42, 5 months pregnant & lives with sister Ellie, nephew Solly & adopted son Fly. She recently left the bright lights of London for a slower life with the police force in Huntingdon. Her crushing workload at the Met has been replaced by regular hours spent combing through cold cases. Impending single-motherhood is daunting enough. So she really doesn’t need the added stress of Ellie’s problems, Solly’s tantrums & Fly’s troubles at school. The proverbial icing on the cake is provided when the body is identified as Ellie’s ex.
That’s just the beginning of a convoluted story line that will cause Manon’s professional life to come crashing into her personal one. The author has a very distinctive writing style, often in present tense with characters’ random thoughts popping up in the narrative. Chapters alternate narrators so you get multiple POV’s. The investigation throw up a few surprises but you’ll have your suspicions early on as to who is involved. Instead of being full of suspense, it’s more of a vehicle to foreshadow big change to Manon’s home life.
The case is wrapped up by the end but several other plot lines are left open. I haven’t read the first in the series & perhaps that’s why I had a hard time connecting with the MC. That’s on me. It all comes down to the fickle element of personal taste & if you read & loved Missing, Presumed , no doubt you’ll find much to enjoy here.
When I read the blurb on this, I was hoping for an exciting & complex police procedural that would keep me guessing. Sadly, it was not to be. Yes, Manon Bradshaw is a cop but despite the fact it opens with a body this is much more about the MC’s domestic situation than hunting down bad guys.
To be fair, she is forgiven for being a bit scattered & preoccupied. Manon is 42, 5 months pregnant & lives with sister Ellie, nephew Solly & adopted son Fly. She recently left the bright lights of London for a slower life with the police force in Huntingdon. Her crushing workload at the Met has been replaced by regular hours spent combing through cold cases. Impending single-motherhood is daunting enough. So she really doesn’t need the added stress of Ellie’s problems, Solly’s tantrums & Fly’s troubles at school. The proverbial icing on the cake is provided when the body is identified as Ellie’s ex.
That’s just the beginning of a convoluted story line that will cause Manon’s professional life to come crashing into her personal one. The author has a very distinctive writing style, often in present tense with characters’ random thoughts popping up in the narrative. Chapters alternate narrators so you get multiple POV’s. The investigation throw up a few surprises but you’ll have your suspicions early on as to who is involved. Instead of being full of suspense, it’s more of a vehicle to foreshadow big change to Manon’s home life.
The case is wrapped up by the end but several other plot lines are left open. I haven’t read the first in the series & perhaps that’s why I had a hard time connecting with the MC. That’s on me. It all comes down to the fickle element of personal taste & if you read & loved Missing, Presumed , no doubt you’ll find much to enjoy here.
July 5, 2017
I think Susie Steiner is as good as Tana French. I was impressed after reading her first DS Manon book; this second one only confirms it. If you like crime/police novels (especially British ones), you really should give this series a try.
What I love about Steiner is how she writes more than suspense novels (though she's good at the suspense part too). She writes about class and race and family and guilt and love, all without being heavy handed or preachy. Her characters are relatable, and I stayed up too late last night to finish this.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
What I love about Steiner is how she writes more than suspense novels (though she's good at the suspense part too). She writes about class and race and family and guilt and love, all without being heavy handed or preachy. Her characters are relatable, and I stayed up too late last night to finish this.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
July 29, 2017
This follow-up to the compelling Missing, Presumed which introduced the most relatable female detective in the world of crime fiction, DI Manon Bradshaw, has a markedly different feel to her debut appearance. Whilst she is back with a bang, this second case is portrayed from a much more personal bias given that it circles dangerously close to Manon’s nearest and dearest. In search of the futile perfect work-life balance, DI Manon Bradshaw has returned to her old stomping ground; the Major Crimes Unit of Cambridgeshire Police. Frustrated by the associated difficulties of bringing up her black adopted twelve-year-old son, Fly Dent, and the worry of institutionalised racism which left him an easy target in Kilburn, forty-two-year old Manon has moved back to Huntingdon and is “with child”, five-months pregnant and half the size of a house. Complete with an entourage of Fly, sister Ellie and her two-year-old son, Solomon, she has opted for the “career cul-de-sac” (DCI Harriet Harper’s words) and the nine to five hours of working cold cases.
Persons Unknown has a more sedate pace than Missing, Presumed and the crime element of the plot feels much more a secondary focus. Manon is once again a wonderfully conflicted and witty narrator, however, there are multiple points of view which add a layer of complexity to matters and give a real feel to the turmoil that she finds herself in. DI Manon Bradshaw is the epitome of cognitive dissonance; more torn that ever by her dual roles of nurturing mother and driven detective, who in theory upholds a fundamental belief in the justice system. And if there is anyone who knows how prejudices and first impressions can impinge on justice, it is unashamedly judgemental and comically perceptive Manon. However, when push comes to shove, Manon is never in doubt about where her loyalties lie when a wealthy London banker is fatally stabbed just yards from the police station. The victim, Jon-Oliver Ross, of illustrious wealth management firm Dunlop and Finch also happens to be the father of Solomon, a man who has recently been making efforts to instigate visiting rights with his son. The case falls to Manon’s old team, with DS Davy Walker filled with worries that he has been over-promoted and DCI Harriet Harper acting as Senior Investigating Officer, however it quickly becomes apparent that Detective Chief Superintendent Gary Stanton has his own ideas as he shuts investigative options down, leaving Ellie Bradshaw with an unquestioned seven-hour hole in her alibi and swiftly concluding that Fly is “good for it”.
Convinced of Fly’s innocence, Manon is a woman possessed as she goes about knocking down the flimsy evidence upholding the charges against him. Aided and assisted by her former colleagues, Davy, Harriet and best-friend, Bri, she works with crack defence solicitor, Mark Talbot, to see justice done. I am sceptical that much of what plays out and the abject failure to investigate a case properly is representative of what happen in police operations, yet this is still a hugely enjoyable reading experience. Less compulsively readable from a crime perspective, Persons Unknown, is a emotional portrait of Manon on route to motherhood and coming to realise just what raising her adopted son entails. This relationship between Manon and Fly is nuanced and full of good intentions but a tension endures, not least with Manon’s career as a police officer, and her uprooting of Fly from his London home to a largely white village in Cambridgeshire. Although I am not sure that I wholeheartedly support the overriding statements which Steiner angles at (basically young, black males stand no chance in getting a fair hearing from the police or CPS), she does make some poignant and significant observations.
There is a realism and a general malaise that accompanies central characters DS Davy Walker at twenty-eight through to DI Manon Bradshaw at forty-two, with both increasing coming to recognise and acknowledge that with age comes pragmatism which leads to compromise and an understanding that life isn’t always a bowl of cherries. Susie Steiner has already given a clear signal that DI Manon Bradshaw has the potential for change and her willingness to test her character and watch her evolve adds another dimension to this series. Already from Missing, Presumed through to Persons Unknown she has tested her characters and in the aftermath of motherhood and the “slow thaw” from adopted son, Fly, she has again signalled that readers should expect developments when the third instalment of this series is published . Never quick to forgive at times, I am wondering how Manon will continue her career in the police force when she readily acknowledges that as a defensive organisation, “in the face of criticism, our main aim is to cover our tracks”... Despite this case having a distinctly sentimental and personal feel, I am hoping for more in the way of gritty crime and less focus on family drama in future, yet throughout it all, it is the pithy witticisms of Manon and the endearing vulnerability of Davy which will see me return to Susie Steiner.
Persons Unknown has a more sedate pace than Missing, Presumed and the crime element of the plot feels much more a secondary focus. Manon is once again a wonderfully conflicted and witty narrator, however, there are multiple points of view which add a layer of complexity to matters and give a real feel to the turmoil that she finds herself in. DI Manon Bradshaw is the epitome of cognitive dissonance; more torn that ever by her dual roles of nurturing mother and driven detective, who in theory upholds a fundamental belief in the justice system. And if there is anyone who knows how prejudices and first impressions can impinge on justice, it is unashamedly judgemental and comically perceptive Manon. However, when push comes to shove, Manon is never in doubt about where her loyalties lie when a wealthy London banker is fatally stabbed just yards from the police station. The victim, Jon-Oliver Ross, of illustrious wealth management firm Dunlop and Finch also happens to be the father of Solomon, a man who has recently been making efforts to instigate visiting rights with his son. The case falls to Manon’s old team, with DS Davy Walker filled with worries that he has been over-promoted and DCI Harriet Harper acting as Senior Investigating Officer, however it quickly becomes apparent that Detective Chief Superintendent Gary Stanton has his own ideas as he shuts investigative options down, leaving Ellie Bradshaw with an unquestioned seven-hour hole in her alibi and swiftly concluding that Fly is “good for it”.
Convinced of Fly’s innocence, Manon is a woman possessed as she goes about knocking down the flimsy evidence upholding the charges against him. Aided and assisted by her former colleagues, Davy, Harriet and best-friend, Bri, she works with crack defence solicitor, Mark Talbot, to see justice done. I am sceptical that much of what plays out and the abject failure to investigate a case properly is representative of what happen in police operations, yet this is still a hugely enjoyable reading experience. Less compulsively readable from a crime perspective, Persons Unknown, is a emotional portrait of Manon on route to motherhood and coming to realise just what raising her adopted son entails. This relationship between Manon and Fly is nuanced and full of good intentions but a tension endures, not least with Manon’s career as a police officer, and her uprooting of Fly from his London home to a largely white village in Cambridgeshire. Although I am not sure that I wholeheartedly support the overriding statements which Steiner angles at (basically young, black males stand no chance in getting a fair hearing from the police or CPS), she does make some poignant and significant observations.
There is a realism and a general malaise that accompanies central characters DS Davy Walker at twenty-eight through to DI Manon Bradshaw at forty-two, with both increasing coming to recognise and acknowledge that with age comes pragmatism which leads to compromise and an understanding that life isn’t always a bowl of cherries. Susie Steiner has already given a clear signal that DI Manon Bradshaw has the potential for change and her willingness to test her character and watch her evolve adds another dimension to this series. Already from Missing, Presumed through to Persons Unknown she has tested her characters and in the aftermath of motherhood and the “slow thaw” from adopted son, Fly, she has again signalled that readers should expect developments when the third instalment of this series is published . Never quick to forgive at times, I am wondering how Manon will continue her career in the police force when she readily acknowledges that as a defensive organisation, “in the face of criticism, our main aim is to cover our tracks”... Despite this case having a distinctly sentimental and personal feel, I am hoping for more in the way of gritty crime and less focus on family drama in future, yet throughout it all, it is the pithy witticisms of Manon and the endearing vulnerability of Davy which will see me return to Susie Steiner.
September 24, 2017
4 stars.
I previously read book 1 in this series, Missing, Presumed and liked it enough to request this book in the series from the publisher, Random House, through NetGalley. I thank them for sending me this eBook. The author starts the story with a murder of Jon-Oliver Ross, a high profile banker/ deal maker. Manon Bradshaw's adopted son, Fly, is found on CCTV camera recording near the scene of the murder. He is arrested on circumstantial evidence. Manon believes that he is innocent and sets out to prove it, even though she is pregnant and on leave. Manon finds out that the victim is the father of her sister Ellie's baby, Solly.
How she unravels the threads of who actually murdered Jon-Oliver makes for a good mystery with some interesting commentary on modern life in England--policing, the health system and corruption with the rich trying to game the system.
I previously read book 1 in this series, Missing, Presumed and liked it enough to request this book in the series from the publisher, Random House, through NetGalley. I thank them for sending me this eBook. The author starts the story with a murder of Jon-Oliver Ross, a high profile banker/ deal maker. Manon Bradshaw's adopted son, Fly, is found on CCTV camera recording near the scene of the murder. He is arrested on circumstantial evidence. Manon believes that he is innocent and sets out to prove it, even though she is pregnant and on leave. Manon finds out that the victim is the father of her sister Ellie's baby, Solly.
How she unravels the threads of who actually murdered Jon-Oliver makes for a good mystery with some interesting commentary on modern life in England--policing, the health system and corruption with the rich trying to game the system.
August 19, 2023
I started this series last year when I was on vacation and how appropriate that I am reading the second one when once again, I am on vacation.
The draw for me in these books 📚 is Manon Bradshaw, our lead detective. She is in her forties, has an adopted son, Fly, and is 5 months pregnant at the start of this book. She is tough and practical so being so emotional with this pregnancy is not something she appreciates. This case of which she is not on becomes very personal when one of her own becomes implicated.
Really liked the secondary character of Birdie- hope we see her again.
An enjoyable read. Will definitely read the third but sadly it will be the last one as the author has passed away.
Published: 2017.
The draw for me in these books 📚 is Manon Bradshaw, our lead detective. She is in her forties, has an adopted son, Fly, and is 5 months pregnant at the start of this book. She is tough and practical so being so emotional with this pregnancy is not something she appreciates. This case of which she is not on becomes very personal when one of her own becomes implicated.
Really liked the secondary character of Birdie- hope we see her again.
An enjoyable read. Will definitely read the third but sadly it will be the last one as the author has passed away.
Published: 2017.
July 21, 2017
This is Susie Steiner's second book and once again we meet up with Manon but in a new situation. She is now living with her sister, her nephew, and her adopted son not in London, but in Huntington, the setting of the first book but everything is quite different this time: Manon is no longer in charge of her group at police headquarters and she is also pregnant. But there there is a murder in which she, and those she cares about, will become involved. And being on the outside of an investigation will be harder than anything she has experienced before.
As with Steiner's first book, I found this compulsively readable, so much so that I read to the end and finished at 4 in the morning, wanting to know what would happen, how it would all come together. This is one of the great strengths of the book; it brings all of the separate plot pieces, characters and settings together in meaningful ways by the end. And the writing...excellent.
If you enjoy plot driven novels with interesting characters in police procedural settings, I definitely recommend Persons Unknown and Steiner's first book, Missing, Presumed
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
As with Steiner's first book, I found this compulsively readable, so much so that I read to the end and finished at 4 in the morning, wanting to know what would happen, how it would all come together. This is one of the great strengths of the book; it brings all of the separate plot pieces, characters and settings together in meaningful ways by the end. And the writing...excellent.
If you enjoy plot driven novels with interesting characters in police procedural settings, I definitely recommend Persons Unknown and Steiner's first book, Missing, Presumed
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
January 29, 2023
I sought out an audio version of this book and the only free option was to borrow a playaway, a portable media device with a single title downloaded on to it versus my iPod which I usually load up with lots of titles from Overdrive and Hoopla via my local library. I was truly grateful to find a battery was included. I usually avoid playaways as they are powered by batteries.
Anyway, after a slow start I got engaged with the story and truly enjoyed it. I especially appreciated the author's authentic account of relationships including parenting her troubled son and the emotions and physicality in the time immediately before and after giving birth. I'm looking forward to the third and final volume in this detective series. Sadly, Susie Steiner left our world too soon.
Anyway, after a slow start I got engaged with the story and truly enjoyed it. I especially appreciated the author's authentic account of relationships including parenting her troubled son and the emotions and physicality in the time immediately before and after giving birth. I'm looking forward to the third and final volume in this detective series. Sadly, Susie Steiner left our world too soon.
May 18, 2018
There are those who absolutely adore this series. I have tried several times to finish book #2 and I simply can not do it. I don't really like the characters at all. I wouldn't want any of them to be in my life so I don't really want to spend time getting to know them through the book. I love flawed characters, those with quirks, even a very heavy dark/noir side, but these characters are just bland, boring, ugh, people. There are reviews that address the content of the book - another murder story. There are reviews that like these characters if that is your thing. But for me, I'm done with them.
April 22, 2017
A sensitive and intelligent exploration of race and motherhood against the backdrop of being a police officer. Unusual and brilliantly written; this is an author at the top of her game.
June 29, 2017
As we return to Steiner's series, we find Manon pregnant, working cold cases, and searching for that elusive work-life balance. She's moved from London to Cambridge in search for a better life for her adopted (nearly) teenage son, Fly. The two live with Manon's sister, Ellie, and her toddler son, Solly. Unfortunately, Fly is not happy: he feels uprooted from his home and all he has known, even if Manon has brought him to Cambridge to start over, to keep him safe. She knows, too, that the new baby won't make things easier between them. Then Ellie's ex and Solly's dad, wealthy Jon-Oliver Ross, is found dead and things quickly go awry for the entire Bradshaw clan. Manon finds herself trying to protect her beloved son and on the outside of an investigation at the force.
This is the sequel to Steiner's first novel featuring DI Manon Bradshaw, and I found it even better than the first. Told from varying POV--Manon; another DS, Davy, who is investigating Ross' death; a shop clerk named Birdie; and Angel, a young woman whom Birdies assists, the book is intriguing from the start, even if it begins a bit slowly. Storylines run almost in parallel, which ratchets up the suspense, and we even occasionally dip back in time. Poor Manon still isn't doing very well (she wasn't exactly in the best of shape in Missing, Presumed), as she struggles with a new home and dealing with her role as Fly's parent. He's facing trouble at school and seems depressed in their new city. The characters are all well-developed and quite fascinating: at first, I wasn't sure if Birdie and Angel would just drag the story down, but they were both quite interesting in their own right.
Parts of the novel are downright heartbreaking: especially some of the tales Angel tells us and bits and pieces of Manon and Fly's relationship. Steiner's novels are certainly tinged with a tad of melancholy (and some of Manon's patented poor decision-making). But the plot on this one is quite engaging, keeping me reading late into the night and guessing the entire time. The novel does an excellent job of a creating a tangled web and casting plenty of doubt on each and every potential suspect.
Further, I loved so many of the characters and found myself highlighting quotes left and right - even if Manon frustrated me, I do very much care for and relate to her, and I liked Davy much more this time, too. Birdie was a charming character, as well. In addition, the novel offers such a timely look at race (even if set in another country from my own). So often I just wanted to give Fly or Manon a hug, or set things right.
In the end, this is a captivating mystery novel. It's slow start ends quickly and is all but forgotten once Manon gets more involved in her own shadow investigation to protect Fly. I think with each novel, I grow to love Manon more and more. I had my suspicions about who did it, but the novel kept me guessing and reading. Definitely enjoyed this one, and I hope Steiner brings Manon back for a third book in the series.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); its is available everywhere in the U.S. as of 07/04/2017.
You can read my review of the first book in the series, MISSING, PRESUMED, here.
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This is the sequel to Steiner's first novel featuring DI Manon Bradshaw, and I found it even better than the first. Told from varying POV--Manon; another DS, Davy, who is investigating Ross' death; a shop clerk named Birdie; and Angel, a young woman whom Birdies assists, the book is intriguing from the start, even if it begins a bit slowly. Storylines run almost in parallel, which ratchets up the suspense, and we even occasionally dip back in time. Poor Manon still isn't doing very well (she wasn't exactly in the best of shape in Missing, Presumed), as she struggles with a new home and dealing with her role as Fly's parent. He's facing trouble at school and seems depressed in their new city. The characters are all well-developed and quite fascinating: at first, I wasn't sure if Birdie and Angel would just drag the story down, but they were both quite interesting in their own right.
Parts of the novel are downright heartbreaking: especially some of the tales Angel tells us and bits and pieces of Manon and Fly's relationship. Steiner's novels are certainly tinged with a tad of melancholy (and some of Manon's patented poor decision-making). But the plot on this one is quite engaging, keeping me reading late into the night and guessing the entire time. The novel does an excellent job of a creating a tangled web and casting plenty of doubt on each and every potential suspect.
Further, I loved so many of the characters and found myself highlighting quotes left and right - even if Manon frustrated me, I do very much care for and relate to her, and I liked Davy much more this time, too. Birdie was a charming character, as well. In addition, the novel offers such a timely look at race (even if set in another country from my own). So often I just wanted to give Fly or Manon a hug, or set things right.
In the end, this is a captivating mystery novel. It's slow start ends quickly and is all but forgotten once Manon gets more involved in her own shadow investigation to protect Fly. I think with each novel, I grow to love Manon more and more. I had my suspicions about who did it, but the novel kept me guessing and reading. Definitely enjoyed this one, and I hope Steiner brings Manon back for a third book in the series.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); its is available everywhere in the U.S. as of 07/04/2017.
You can read my review of the first book in the series, MISSING, PRESUMED, here.
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January 5, 2019
I was sure at the beginning of this book how I felt about the main characters, but I was a sucker for the ending.
There was a great deal of personal involvement in the case for the protagonist and her family, and I felt it was early in the series for me, as a reader, to be that invested in a main character I had not connected with On a personal level yet.
So, it was kind of a slog in the beginning.
As I said, Steiner totally tugged at my heartstrings by the end of the book, and I am now hooked on the series.
There was a great deal of personal involvement in the case for the protagonist and her family, and I felt it was early in the series for me, as a reader, to be that invested in a main character I had not connected with On a personal level yet.
So, it was kind of a slog in the beginning.
As I said, Steiner totally tugged at my heartstrings by the end of the book, and I am now hooked on the series.
December 30, 2020
Enter the second book in the DI Manon Bradshaw series.
This book catches you within its grasp and just doesn’t let go. From the very minute you open the book the very relatable DI Manon Bradshaw keeps you entertaining and on the edge of your seat.
Susie Steiner has once again created a remarkable heroine who is down to earth, has problems and is now pregnant! This book explores racism, police procedure and the battle that you undergo for your family.
I would recommend and cannot wait to start the next book tomorrow!
This book catches you within its grasp and just doesn’t let go. From the very minute you open the book the very relatable DI Manon Bradshaw keeps you entertaining and on the edge of your seat.
Susie Steiner has once again created a remarkable heroine who is down to earth, has problems and is now pregnant! This book explores racism, police procedure and the battle that you undergo for your family.
I would recommend and cannot wait to start the next book tomorrow!
September 16, 2017
With this, the follow-up to Missing Presumed, being marketed as a literary crime novel, I have to confess I’m not entirely sure what that is, but if it is a multi-layered story that touches on real-life issues as well as having a crime at its centre, with an involved and intricate plot, then this fits the brief.
DI Manon Bradshaw has moved from London back to Cambridge, in part for Fly, her adopted twelve-year-old son in an attempt to keep him away from being stopped and searched purely based on his colour. They live with Manon’s sister Ellie and her two-year old son Solly, oh and Manon is five-months pregnant and assigned to the cold cases. It’s fair to say the whole family are struggling to find their feet when a man named Jon-Oliver is murdered in a nearby park. This sets off a whole chain of events which couldn’t have been predicted.
While this doesn’t have the feel of a standard police procedural, at times feeling as much a commentary on the time we live in, I was hooked right from the start. The storyline is linear with the main part running over a few weeks starting in December with each section featuring the date and chapter headed up by the name of the narrator and where necessary the place because whilst for the most part the action is in Cambridge, some takes us back to Kilburn, London. Normally where we have multiple places and narrators I put a warning into my review about how this isn’t one to read when you are tired but I have to confess I started this one night expecting to read a dozen or so pages and struggled to put it down, even the fact that I was exhausted that particular night didn’t strain my brain. Instead my warning is the short chapters are deceptive and it is only too easy to say I’ll just do one more and then I’ll turn out the light only to find yourself bleary eyed and still going!
Why did I enjoy this so much? Well the plot is tight, and yes it’s complex especially as the connections between the characters are not what you normally get in a police procedural. I loved the characters, I felt that Manon was a more sympathetic character in this book, not quite as abrasive as she is actually outside the investigation and her love for Fly, her adopted son really brings out a different side to her personality. In fact I had a lot of sympathy for a number of the characters whilst others I’m pleased to say got their just deserts. Persons Unknown was involved and had plenty of clues, including the obligatory red-herrings that had me suspecting everyone at one time or another. Having won me over with some of the key characters I was thoroughly engaged, needing to know whether x had visited y at z time to prove my theory or otherwise, which is always the mark of a good book.
When the characters are so well-defined it can be the case that the plotting is looser, but not in this book with both aspects having an equal weighting although perhaps there was a coincidence or two which felt a little too convenient they in no way spoilt my enjoyment.
There is no doubt in my mind that Susie Steiner’s next book will be on my ‘must read’ list she has really proved herself to be a writer of many talents indeed. If character led crime fiction is what floats your boat, this series is on my highly recommended list.
DI Manon Bradshaw has moved from London back to Cambridge, in part for Fly, her adopted twelve-year-old son in an attempt to keep him away from being stopped and searched purely based on his colour. They live with Manon’s sister Ellie and her two-year old son Solly, oh and Manon is five-months pregnant and assigned to the cold cases. It’s fair to say the whole family are struggling to find their feet when a man named Jon-Oliver is murdered in a nearby park. This sets off a whole chain of events which couldn’t have been predicted.
While this doesn’t have the feel of a standard police procedural, at times feeling as much a commentary on the time we live in, I was hooked right from the start. The storyline is linear with the main part running over a few weeks starting in December with each section featuring the date and chapter headed up by the name of the narrator and where necessary the place because whilst for the most part the action is in Cambridge, some takes us back to Kilburn, London. Normally where we have multiple places and narrators I put a warning into my review about how this isn’t one to read when you are tired but I have to confess I started this one night expecting to read a dozen or so pages and struggled to put it down, even the fact that I was exhausted that particular night didn’t strain my brain. Instead my warning is the short chapters are deceptive and it is only too easy to say I’ll just do one more and then I’ll turn out the light only to find yourself bleary eyed and still going!
Why did I enjoy this so much? Well the plot is tight, and yes it’s complex especially as the connections between the characters are not what you normally get in a police procedural. I loved the characters, I felt that Manon was a more sympathetic character in this book, not quite as abrasive as she is actually outside the investigation and her love for Fly, her adopted son really brings out a different side to her personality. In fact I had a lot of sympathy for a number of the characters whilst others I’m pleased to say got their just deserts. Persons Unknown was involved and had plenty of clues, including the obligatory red-herrings that had me suspecting everyone at one time or another. Having won me over with some of the key characters I was thoroughly engaged, needing to know whether x had visited y at z time to prove my theory or otherwise, which is always the mark of a good book.
When the characters are so well-defined it can be the case that the plotting is looser, but not in this book with both aspects having an equal weighting although perhaps there was a coincidence or two which felt a little too convenient they in no way spoilt my enjoyment.
There is no doubt in my mind that Susie Steiner’s next book will be on my ‘must read’ list she has really proved herself to be a writer of many talents indeed. If character led crime fiction is what floats your boat, this series is on my highly recommended list.
May 6, 2017
I loved the first novel featuring D.I. Manon Bradshaw, “Missing, Presumed,” and so was looking forward to reading this sequel. Manon has left London and returned to Cambridgeshire with her sister, Ellie, Ellie’s toddler son, Solly, and her adopted son, Fly. She is also expecting a baby and so, theoretically, life should be the best it has ever been. However, reality is often not as joyous as expectations and Manon finds her sister often absent, or temperamental, while Fly is not settling at school and has become withdrawn and secretive.
When Jon-Oliver Ross, a rich banker and Solly’s father, is stabbed in a park close to Fly’s school, Manon finds that her colleagues see Fly as a suspect. While Ellie behaves suspiciously and Manon feels hampered by her pregnancy, she is in a race against time to solve the case and try to reunite her family. In charge of the case is the newly promoted, Detective Sergeant Davy Walker, who feels out of his depth and uncomfortable with the way the case is going.
Sometimes, when you read the second book in a series, you are concerned it is going to be a disappointment. I am pleased to say that this is just as good as the first. The author includes lots of characters that we met in the first book, as well as introducing new faces; including the wonderful Birdie and a lawyer named Mark Talbot, who agrees to help Manon. With an exciting plot, lots of dark humour and a, far from romantic, sense of how life really is, this is an extremely good read. I look forward to reading more novels featuring Manon in the future.
When Jon-Oliver Ross, a rich banker and Solly’s father, is stabbed in a park close to Fly’s school, Manon finds that her colleagues see Fly as a suspect. While Ellie behaves suspiciously and Manon feels hampered by her pregnancy, she is in a race against time to solve the case and try to reunite her family. In charge of the case is the newly promoted, Detective Sergeant Davy Walker, who feels out of his depth and uncomfortable with the way the case is going.
Sometimes, when you read the second book in a series, you are concerned it is going to be a disappointment. I am pleased to say that this is just as good as the first. The author includes lots of characters that we met in the first book, as well as introducing new faces; including the wonderful Birdie and a lawyer named Mark Talbot, who agrees to help Manon. With an exciting plot, lots of dark humour and a, far from romantic, sense of how life really is, this is an extremely good read. I look forward to reading more novels featuring Manon in the future.
July 8, 2017
Fast and compulsive read. Great characters.
December 30, 2023
Worse than awful.
August 20, 2017
3.5* . Really enjoyable literary crime novel. I havent read book 1 so went in a little blind with the characters relationships. I think it would have definitely of helped. However it didnt dramatically detract from the main plot. Has some twists and turns, making differnt people seem guilty or not guilty, and you are constantly questioning which way you are feeling. Are family trust worthy? This is the question being asked throughout. I did find it a little slow and it does drag a tad in some places. I also found Mannon a little annoying and she did tend to whinge a little. Not sure if this was the case in book 1. Will definitely consider reading book 1 after really enjoying this.
April 23, 2017
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
I have been excited ever since I found out that the second DS Manon Bradshaw book was due for release. I feel lucky I got the chance to read this before the official release date, and I am glad to say I was not disappointed
At the end of Susie's last book Missing, Presumed Manon was living in London after adopting her son Fly. After being estranged from her sister Ellie, Manon and Fly moved in with her and her baby Solly.
Now the whole family has decided to leave London and have moved back to Cambridge. Things are not going so well after the move. Fly has become withdrawn because he has lost all his friends and is now in an all white school. Ellie is hiding a secret, disappearing and not telling Manon where she is going. Manon herself is 5 months pregnant after deciding to undergo IVF which is also making Fly feel unwanted.
At work Manon is now working on cold cases, her old colleague Davy has been promoted to DS. When the body of a man is found stabbed to death on the stairs of a railway station, Manon is shocked to discover it is Jon-Oliver. Ellie's ex partner and father to Solly. After checking the station CCTV they find out that Fly walked passed the crime scene just after Jon-Oliver collapsed, more over Fly had Jon-Oliver's blood on his trainers. Fly is arrested for murder and sent to youth custody awaiting trial
Manon knows Fly is a good boy but is not allowed to work on the investigation. Heavily pregnant and with the help of Roy's defence solicitor she has to investigate what really happened. This story is told from the POV of Manon, Davy and Birdie an eccentric shopkeeper. I found it funny Birdie fancied Tony Blair and kept a framed photo of him.
I really felt for Manon, she felt guilty for deliberately getting pregnant. She felt she had been a bad mother and let down Fly. I was also shocked when I found out how calculating Ellie turned out to be.
This was definitely a better story then Presumed Innocent where the killer came out of nowhere. This was a gritty police procedural into the sometimes murky depths of the banking world. I look forward to seeing how Manon gets on as a mother of 2 in the next book.
I have been excited ever since I found out that the second DS Manon Bradshaw book was due for release. I feel lucky I got the chance to read this before the official release date, and I am glad to say I was not disappointed
At the end of Susie's last book Missing, Presumed Manon was living in London after adopting her son Fly. After being estranged from her sister Ellie, Manon and Fly moved in with her and her baby Solly.
Now the whole family has decided to leave London and have moved back to Cambridge. Things are not going so well after the move. Fly has become withdrawn because he has lost all his friends and is now in an all white school. Ellie is hiding a secret, disappearing and not telling Manon where she is going. Manon herself is 5 months pregnant after deciding to undergo IVF which is also making Fly feel unwanted.
At work Manon is now working on cold cases, her old colleague Davy has been promoted to DS. When the body of a man is found stabbed to death on the stairs of a railway station, Manon is shocked to discover it is Jon-Oliver. Ellie's ex partner and father to Solly. After checking the station CCTV they find out that Fly walked passed the crime scene just after Jon-Oliver collapsed, more over Fly had Jon-Oliver's blood on his trainers. Fly is arrested for murder and sent to youth custody awaiting trial
Manon knows Fly is a good boy but is not allowed to work on the investigation. Heavily pregnant and with the help of Roy's defence solicitor she has to investigate what really happened. This story is told from the POV of Manon, Davy and Birdie an eccentric shopkeeper. I found it funny Birdie fancied Tony Blair and kept a framed photo of him.
I really felt for Manon, she felt guilty for deliberately getting pregnant. She felt she had been a bad mother and let down Fly. I was also shocked when I found out how calculating Ellie turned out to be.
This was definitely a better story then Presumed Innocent where the killer came out of nowhere. This was a gritty police procedural into the sometimes murky depths of the banking world. I look forward to seeing how Manon gets on as a mother of 2 in the next book.
July 23, 2017
This is book 2 in the DS Manon series. Although I liked the first book (Missing, Presumed) better, this was still an enjoyable read. There was more emphasis on the racial profiling of Manan's adopted son, Fly, than on the actual investigation of the crime, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Also, this book seems to put more emphasis on character development. I hope to see more stories in this series!
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
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