Kiss Me When I'm Dead

by Dominic Piper

A missing call girl.
An unhealthy obsession.
A dangerous world.
A detective with no past.

The stunning debut thriller by bestselling author Dominic Piper, Kiss Me When I’m Dead introduces the enigmatic, London-based private investigator Daniel Beckett.

★★★★★ "A refreshing, marvellously written thriller that bubbles with a sensational, simmering sexuality."

★★★★★ "Kiss Me When I’m Dead, by Dominic Piper, may well be the smartest crime tale I’ve read to date. It’s not only compelling, it’s craftily compelling as the author used his literary skills and story-telling abilities with masterful precision."

★★★★★ "Dominic Piper’s sense of humor is in turns subtle and outlandish. I found myself laughing at scenes that should’ve made my hair stand on end. He walks the fine line between madcap and gallows humor, always catching it just right."

★★★★★ "From the first page, the book grabs you. By the second page it won’t let go, and as this smart, sexy and often funny thriller unfolds on the page before you, it would be very easy to devour this masterful book in a couple of sittings."

When Beckett is offered double his usual fee to track down Viola Raleigh, the missing daughter of a billionaire arms dealer, he has no reason to believe the assignment is not as it seems.

But his investigation is hindered as he discovers he’s being stalked by a professional surveillance team. As he learns more about Viola’s life as a drug addict and high-class call girl, he starts to realise that his wealthy client has been economical with the truth.

It isn’t long before Beckett himself is in danger, but his adversaries quickly discover that they are dealing with a formidable opponent with a far more sinister background than they might ever have imagined.

For fans of sleek, intelligent crime fiction infused with intrigue, danger and seduction, Dominic Piper raises the bar for modern detective fiction with his bold and thrilling storytelling.

Get your copy!

ALL BOOKS by DOMINIC PIPER

PI Daniel Beckett Series
Standalone detective thrillers that can be enjoyed in any order.

★★★★★ " A perfect combination of mystery, sex and violence."
★★★★★ "Dominic Piper is an excellent author who writes razor-sharp, beautiful prose."

Kiss Me When I’m Dead
Death is the New Black
Femme Fatale
Bitter Almonds & Jasmine
Acid Yellow

Dominic Piper is an author living in London.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Abuse, Dark, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

445 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 13, 2014

About the author

Dominic Piper is an author, film and television writer, journalist and script editor. He lives in London, UK. He is the author of the best-selling, critically acclaimed thrillers Kiss Me When I'm Dead, Death is the New Black, Femme Fatale, Bitter Almonds & Jasmine, and Acid Yellow, all featuring the enigmatic, London-based private investigator Daniel Beckett. All five novels are published by Opium Den Publishing.

Reviews

[~IreneOust~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded a free sample of this title on Amazon after seeing it pop up on my Twitter feed and, after reading the first two chapters, I had to one-click. Yes, you can say it was 'love at free sample'.

What a ride!! I devoured this book. And when I say 'devoured', I mean DEVOURED! The story sucked me in from the very first few pages and didn't let go till the very end. Superbly written, fast paced, a perfect combination of mystery, sex and violence. Daniel Beckett is my new favorite BBF because who can resist a mysterious PI with a wicked sense of humor?? It's been a while since I read a book written by a male author (AND a European one to boot!!) and I must say, it's been a nice change. I think it's safe to say Dominic Piper and this series is my new addiction. I can't wait for the next installment!

Till next time ...

[Cynthia Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A character like Daniel Beckett—savvy detective, martial arts expert, ladies’ man extraordinaire (he can name almost any perfume with a single whiff)—is like catnip to me. With his confidential narration of his latest case, the reader is treated to an acerbic take on his new client—a wealthy eccentric desperately looking for his twenty-something daughter whom he suspects is still a heroin addict and high-end prostitute. Though Daniel finds the man and his hired goons quirky and more than a little tedious, the money on offer is too tempting to pass up. He accepts the job and begins the dive into the seamiest side of London life.

Daniel must be very good looking, for every woman he comes across is mesmerized by him. He would have to beat them off with a stick if he wasn’t such a soft touch himself. With all he has going on with the Raleigh case, he still finds time for appreciating the fairer sex the way they apparently need to be appreciated. Balancing his ever-growing list of lady friends is almost as precarious a task as sidestepping the felonious thugs intent on doing him harm.

Dominic Piper’s sense of humor is in turns subtle and outlandish. I found myself laughing at scenes that should’ve made my hair stand on end. He walks the fine line between madcap and gallows humor, always catching it just right. In some ways, Daniel’s a bit like the earlier James Bond—dashing, handsome, highly trained in the defensive arts, undisputed babe magnet. But he’s more human than that. He genuinely loves women. His only problem is he could never imagine having to choose just one.

I was hooked from the first page and loved almost every word of this book. There’s one tiny detail I wish I hadn’t read, but everything else was just pure, unadulterated fun. Looking forward to reading more by this very talented writer.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really one of the best books I have read. It's a bit out of my typical reading genre but I knew right from the get go that I was going to love this book.

The writing is absolutely fantastic! The main character Daniel Beckett is a private detective and he sees everything in great detail. He has to, that's part of his job, to notice everything. Every little detail. And that is reflected in the writing, but not in a boring oh my god so much detail sort of way. It's done in such a perfect way that you are completely drawn into the story and you totally feel like you're with Daniel and seeing and hearing everything he does. And he is a character. A likable character. You want to maybe hang out with him and quite possibly go out on a date with him as well. But you're also taken on quite a ride in this book. It will absolutely keep you guessing the whole way though.

I am so glad this book was recommended to me. This author was new to me and his books will absolutely be at the top of my tbr.

[K.T. McColl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kiss Me When I'm Dead grabbed me from the first page and didn't let go until the end. Featuring a mysterious back story, a way with the ladies, and skill and savvy, the protagonist, Daniel Beckett, has all the makings of a classic fictional PI. In addition to a rich cast of characters, the pace of the action and the way in which the case unfolds makes this a compelling page-turner. Highly recommended.

[Tracie Payne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a chore to finish and honestly by 50% I skimmed. Some parts the writing was fantastic and hilariously witty and so quick. Other times it just felt like a slog. The constant sexing up of different women almost every day made me wonder wtf was the point? Every character was just so hyper sexual and of course so gorgeous it just annoyed me. I was also waiting for his backstory. How did he come to this profession, how is he so capable. But it never came. I'm not sure why I stuck with it for so long :/

[Douglas Wickard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I’m not sure if Dominic Piper purposely elected to write a fun, suspenseful, easily-readable spoof on randy detectives, where every class and type of female Daniel encounters is ridiculously beautiful, physically demanding, (in and out of the bed) and all of them have the hots for him … but he did. The writing, the brief sentences, the engaging story, even the main character, (that cagey wastrel) kidnapped me right from the get go, but, it did feel a bit lopsided in the beginning, until I finally realized that Mr. Piper probably designed it that way. Women are forbidden, delicious fruit only he gets to devour upon, and men, overall, are greasy, indifferent slime bags who don’t deserve them. Now, for the story! Except for some repetitive plotlines drilled into my head numerous times throughout, the story was fast paced and exciting. I read until late in the evening and looked forward to picking the book back up again, excited about the journey. Dominic knows how to pull the heartstrings as well. I became invested in the life of this “private dick,” (no pun intended) who can take a beating better than a champion prize fighter, and will definitely be coming back to see where his next adventure takes him.

[Terrance Layhew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping noir which succeeds in establishing the character as a cipher for the story, while also filling the world with horrible characters you can’t wait to die.

[Anna Mocikat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually don't read mystery novels which is why I had this book on my Kindle for over two years before I finally got to it. Now that I finished it I regret that I didn't pick it up much earlier.
This is an excellent book!
The story is written like a classic detective novel and we follow PI Daniel Beckett in first person perspective through modern-day London.
He has been hired by a billionaire, who also happens to be a world-famous arms dealer, to find his missing daughter. Sounds easy enough for Daniel but it soon turns out that things are really complicated and that nothing is as it seems.
As typical for the genre, there are many surprises, twists and turns. I don't want to get deeper into the story because I don't want to spoil anything. Just so much: the ending is really surprising and caught me off guard. Usually, I'm really good at guessing storylines but I didn't see that one coming!
Daniel Beckett is a fantastic character. He's handsome, smart and mysterious. A little bit as if James Bond had retired from MI6 and would now work as a freelancer. Daniel is also pretty badass and a womanizer.
Over the course of events our charming detective gets involved with several women, one more beautiful than the other. This is something that easily could turn out to be sexist and annoying but not in this case.
Dominic Piper is an excellent author who writes razor-sharp, beautiful prose. He used to write for TV and it shows since there's no scene in the whole book which wouldn't be important for the story, not even one sentence. Often authors write filler scenes or even whole chapters to blow up their books but not Piper.
He also managed to write Daniel so likable and charming that even though he's clearly a womanizer, it's not a negative trait at all. Daniel simply loves women. And he really dislikes bad guys who treat women poorly.
I had a lot of fun with this book and finished it quickly despite its length. Book 2 is already on my Kindle and this time I won't wait two years before reading it!
I highly recommend this book to all lovers of well-crafted detective stories and thrillers, who don't mind a little bit of sex in their crime.

[Nancy Steinle gummel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kiss Me When I'm Dead by Dominic Piper is an excellent read. It leaves you guessing all over the place. Lots of. brutality in the story. It is needed as it helps the flow of details. Daniel Beckett is hired by a ruthless millionaire, Nathan Raleigh, a shadowy arms dealer. When Daniel interviews for the job he meets Raleigh and James, his head of security. Before entering the interview he meets Anjukka, Raleigh's beautiful and efficient administrator. Beckett hands her his business card. He's to search for Viola Raleigh, his daughter. She is a heroine addict and a prostitute. Beckett follows a lead that takes him to depraved Novak and Jeremy. They debased Viola. Then they sold her to Mrs. Bianchi. Beckett is a womanizer. Between searching for clues he has trysts with a few women. See where this mystery takes you. You won't be disappointed.

[Lynn Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say this book was impeccable is an understatement. It hit all the marks for a truly remarkable read. It’s dark, mysterious, suspenseful, action-packed, thrilling, smart, and witty. Piper writes dialogue with such a flair I felt I was literally a silent onlooker to conversations.

The main character, Daniel Beckett, is not your average private detective. I was drawn to the fact that even though he’s on this secret mission to find out what’s going on, he decides honesty is the best policy. You are constantly holding your breath hoping against hope that he doesn’t fail. You find yourself rooting for him and not just his cause. In fact, all of Piper’s characters are unique and bring stimulating layers to the story.

If you like mysteries, note that this is not your average hired private detective “who done it” read, but it is A DEFINITE THRILLING MUST READ.

[Luccia Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a contemporary detective novel narrated in the first person stream-of-consciousness style, by witty and authentic (almost primal) Daniel Beckett, in the classic style of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.
The language flows on its own as the reader is literally immersed into Beckett’s mind. There were times I thought I was reading a comic because the characters were larger than life. It kept me turning the pages and concerned about what was going to happen in an involved but detached way, as if I were watching a film. It was easy to imagine I was there due to the vivid and sensual descriptions. Is all this ‘people smelling’ a detective thing? In any case, it adds to the authenticity of the reading experience.
One of the most successful aspects of characterization in this novel is that all characters, primary and secondary, are important to the narrator. Everyone has a distinctive smell and characteristic, and that adds to the suspense, because one never knows who is going to become a major player in the action.
Beckett himself is a mystery. In spite of narrating the whole story, we learn very little about his past, and a character like him must have an eventful history, but he’s obsessively secretive which makes him even more interesting. There will no doubt be prequels and sequels where we will find out more.
Another major achievement is that one of the main characters in the novel is the setting itself: London. We are immersed in this unique city, where the action takes place.
Every single word, line, paragraph, page, and chapter moves the story on, or tells us something about Beckett and his co-stars. Nothing is wasted. This keeps the reader on alert, just as Beckett is, throughout.
There is a lot of action and sex, but it’s not graphically told, which I was grateful for. Every scene that is in the novel has to be there, and that’s considerate of Piper, because the readers’ time is precious.
Finally, the plot is full of twists and turns. Some you may have suspected, and others you definitely won’t. You’ll never know how perfect the title of the novel is until you read the last chapter.
I could go on, but I’m going to stop here. Just read it!

[Amber Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspense mystery thrillers are among my favorite genres of books to read, and I’ve wanted to get after “Kiss Me When I’m Dead” for some time now. I found the novel intriguing from the very beginning as the author brilliantly developed a host of interesting and exciting characters—the true hallmark of any good book!
Our protagonist, Daniel Beckett, is a rascal and a womanizer but in a fun and light-hearted manner. A bit like James Bond, women seem to find Beckett irresistible, and he is acutely aware of his seemingly natural ability to literally charm the pants off the fairer sex. His first conquest being the Finnish Anjukka, the lovely assistant to Nathan Raleigh, the man who hires Beckett to find his missing daughter, Viola.
Raleigh is a wealthy arms dealer and is eager to locate his beautiful but troubled daughter—to put his mind at ease for an upcoming meeting with buyers from Oman, or so we are led to believe. Beckett does his homework and begins sleuthing his way into a hornet’s nest of craziness, sex with a bevy of women—one with whom Beckett actually engages in hand-to-hand combat before settling into her bed for a little post-combat frolicking—and some rather violent and ghoulish shenanigans.
The search for Viola eventually takes Beckett in a complete circle as he discovers everything concerning the mystery of Viola’s disappearance is not as it appears, culminating in a bizarre and unexpected ending.
Dominic Piper does a fabulous job in his debut novel! Is it perfect? No. There are a smattering of typos and usage errors, but there are fewer miscues than one sees in the average indie novel. But his character development, saucy dialog, and descriptive imagery along with a creative plot make the few flaws easy to overlook.
I anticipate reading the other two novels in the series very soon!

[Michelle Medhat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned about Kiss Me When I'm Dead through Twitter, and I am so pleased I did. Daniel Beckett is the hero of the hour with amazing skills (including womanising to rival 007) and a murky past that's alluded to but never fully revealed throughout the book. I loved his irreverent bordering on sarcastic style of narrative, and his dialogue with the extremely colourful characters was a joy to read. The humour in the book, which had me giggling more than once was unexpected, but a nice aside from the more meatier scenes. The plot line was jerky and unpredictable, which I loved (as a writer myself, too often do I end up second-guessing the denouement but not in this case.) The sensitive subject matter was handled perfectly, with just enough description to enable the mind to visualise the rest. Throughout the book I imagined someone like Clive Owen playing Beckett, in the same vein as the character he played in Shoot Em Up. The fuelled up, tooled up hero that really doesn't want any trouble, but if you push him, watch out! All in all an absolutely fantastic book and one I'd recommend if you like a gritty, fast paced detective thriller with larger than life characters and a hero that demands to be on the movie screen

[Cecie Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Piper writes the kind of detective novel I always wanted to read but could never find. As gripping as any Chandler or Hammett novel, Kiss Me When I’m Dead is a clever crime novel with a witty and irresistible protagonist, a compelling cast of supporting characters, and an intriguing plot I guarantee will keep you turning the page late into the wee hours of the night.

The moment I saw her, I knew we were going to sleep together.

From the beginning, I knew this was not a typical detective novel. Where other authors ignore or gloss over the sexy stuff, Mr. Piper deals with it head-on. While not erotica by any means, the novel does contain adult themes and situations. The sex scenes are tasteful, well-written, and not overly explicit.

This is the first in a series of Daniel Becket detective novels; there are three novels as of this review. I look forward to following his adventures!

If you like fast-paced detective novels with enough sex and violence to satiate most readers, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Kiss Me When I’m Dead.

[Mackenzie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for pulp fiction. A fan of Raymond Chandler and John D MacDonald in particular. For that reason I couldn't resist reading Dominic Piper's highly rated thriller. Set in modern day London, Daniel Beckett is a distant relative of Philip Marlow, a gumshoe in every fibre of his being. Beckett is hired by a shady arms dealer with money and muscle, to find his missing daughter, but nothing is quite as it seems.
The story is told in a series of twists and turns and crammed to the brim with femme fatales. The characters are all well drawn and fleshed out and perfectly constructed for the genre. If I could change one thing though, I'd up the pace of the story a little and trim the length, but this is just how I like my noir fiction.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is a lover of this genre and enjoys a well written thriller. Those who take my advice will thoroughly enjoy the pulsating finale.

[Esi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go ahead and finish what you have planned for the day. Get your meals prepared. Turn the ringer on your phone off. I say all this because this is what I wish I would have done before I started reading this book. I got sucked in from the first page. It definitely has some humor too. One of my favorite lines is "Both of them look like they’ve been pumping iron since they were six years old" . There's tons of suspense leading from scene to scene. Is incredibly descriptive , so it seems like you are in every scene. I am so tempted to give away the story...but I won't because how the story ends caught me off guard and is the reason why I like the book.

[Paul Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second Dominic Piper novel I've read, for some reason, I'm reading them out of order. That did not spoil my enjoyment of Kiss Me When I'm Dead. This book, like Femme Fatale, was highly enjoyable. Fast-paced, well-written, and very clever. Daniel Beckett is a great character, resourceful, funny, and most importantly, likeable. I can't wait to read Death is the New Black.

[Renée Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, Love, Loved this book and the main character Daniel Beckett. Daniel gets the job done but makes sure to have fun along the way. There was never a dull moment and I was thoroughly entertained.

[Anthony Lavisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our erstwhile detective, Daniel Beckett is suave, handsome, and lives in London. He’s careful and cautious about his life in the capital, and even more careful about his past. A Private Investigator, he takes on jobs your average investigator might not even know existed, and that means that he is very familiar with the seedy underbelly of the capital, it’s streets and the ghouls that run and operate them.

From the first page, the book grabs you. By the second page it won’t let go, and as this smart, sexy and often funny thriller unfolds on the page before you, it would be very easy to devour this masterful book in a couple of sittings. The plot is so intruiging, that you immediately get swept along by Beckett’s endeavours, as he tries to track down the afore mentioned Viola Raleigh.

I am not going to give anything away – but that is only because I want you to experience the same shocks, laughs and surprises that I had along the way.

Piper’s writing is a stand-out for me. The writing is simply fantastic! His observations, his descriptive craft and Beckett’s internal monologue is full of such visual skill, you could almost be watching this on the screen. You are in every room with Beckett, on every street and dark alleway. Every woman Beckett meets, you can see her before you, every goon he encounters, who can picture them coming at you, and every scrape he gets into, you can feel it, crunching out of the page.

And let’s get this out there, Beckett is not your average Private Investigator. Handsome, and with an eye for the ladies, who certainly have an eye back for him, his work takes him places your average tv detective would not dare to tread. London has never been more thrilling. Beckett knows his city, he has the contacts and the reputation that wll take him to the darkest corners that few would be willing to tread. And his wit goes with him.

Funny, smart, sexy and slick, you need Daniel Beckett in your life. This book is thrilling and disturbing in equal measures and it would make a fantastic series for television.

[Eero · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pretty much a perfect pulp story: a London-based private detective is hired to find a missing call girl but the case turns out not to be quite what it seems. All the puzzle pieces fit together in the end, and the author makes sure to tie the two remaining loose ends (one not involving the case) in the final pages.

The hero, Daniel Beckett, is rather implausibly perfect, but that appears to be by design. He has a particular set of skills that hints to a mysterious past, possibly as a spy, which might be explored in a later book. The only people we are introduced in this story are ones he meets for the first time on its pages. Of the women he encounters all but one are described as incredibly beautiful and sexy, and they all (save the one who is too old) either wind up in bed with the hero or at least flirt with him seriously. The bad guys are so gleefully over the top that the effect is rather comical. [Come to think of it, practically all male characters except the hero turn out to be bad guys. The exception being the missing girl's stoner ex who bonds with Beckett over liking the same band and is quite helpful. Also, they both seem to have a kind of happy polyamory thing going, so there's that in common. Maybe they could become buddies in future books. Not that Beckett seems to need or want male friends.] So for escapist pulpy reading this is pretty much perfect. Even a bit too cute, perhaps.

The story is told in first person and present tense. I am not a big fan of the latter choice, but it was not too distracting.

I got the ebook for 99 cents on Amazon. I had already grabbed the sequel for free earlier, and although the author was unfamiliar, all the reviews seemed to be positive. I was not disappointed.

[Anna Casamento Arrigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beckett doesn’t typically take on cases finding missing people. Right from the onset,you realize this is going to take you through a very ominous maze fraught with intrigue. Is the billionaire’s turned, supposedly an addict and pimping herself out to feed her supposed heroin addition. I love the suspense and I especially loved how the protagonist,Becket has taken on this search to discover the truth behind Viola’s disappearance. It begs the question, which Beckett,why hire a PI whose prior investigations have had little to do with finding missing persons! What exactly is this multi billionaire up to in hiring Beckett! Betrayals, manipulations,twists,turns, and some very intriguing foils. I especially loved,not only the believable dialogue,but,moreover, I was completely engaged in watching Beckett’s very plausible thoughts/explanations/and insights into exactly why he was hired to seek out this missing heiress. Disturbing,however,for me was the cavalier and /disinterest that this man of multi-billionaire man was readily accepting of his daughter’s possible death.Oh, there are those moments when you realize that Beckett does.’seem’ to draw women to engage him, these, for me add to his allure. I am taken to his ‘respect and the idea of romantic decorum,especially when he first gets a glimpse into the eccentric world of the rich.Why would a woman,a trophy wife be half clad and seductive pictured in this multi billionaire’ office. Front and center nonetheless. No spoilers! Want more? Get YOUR OWN copy!

[Albert Steeg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very easy and quite exciting read. Very much in the tradition of Mickey Spillane, Dashiel Hammett and Blake Edwards the story is told by the hard boiled sleuth Daniel Beckett. So he is seasoned for all kinds of violence and irresistable for pretty women. The plot was very well made up and consistent. All in all a very pleasant read to took my mind off the unpleasant things we go through in 2020. I can recommend it if you love reading about weird cases for detectives and their love life.

[Jon Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is like a train ride, starts off with a sure pace, picking up speed, then some twists and turns to keep you guessing and wondering what happens next, all ending in a shocking display of what humans can be capable of. Piper has somehow plugged into the feel of the old pulp noir novels while keeping it modern and fast paced. The London setting is a different environment for these kinds of stories and it adds a fresh perspective. His settings and especially his descriptions of the women are great to read, you actually feel like you're looking at vintage pin up girls as he describes them.

This book is edgy, sexy and cool, it was a great ride and was definitely hard to put down. The protagonist Beckett is an interesting character, maybe a little Jack Reacher in there, but different. I'd like to see more of him from Piper, and maybe get a little more background on Beckett.

[P Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a lot of reasons why I loved this book but the main one is simply the portrayal of Daniel Beckett as a larger than life P.I with some killer, intuitive, people reading skills that serve him very well in his current job. I had high expectations from this character from the outset. Dominic Piper delivers and Daniel Beckett P.I. exceeded my expectations on every page.

The storyline is solid crime fiction with a hard edge. The supporting characters are well-written and add exactly what's needed to push the plot along. There is a lot of humor in this book but it doesn't come out and grab you, it's subtle.

This was a tightly written, suspenseful novel with polished dialogue that I have no trouble recommending.

[Marie Keates · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in this series, but the second I read as I accidentally read them out of order. Not that it mattered as each work as standalone stories. The complex and well crafted plot kept me turning pages, and I loved the main character, the mysterious Daniel Beckett. Fearless, erudite, and quite the lady’s man, he tackles this intriguing case with humour and a certain amount of recklessness. The characters were well drawn, the villains unforgettable, the pace fast, and the ending satisfying. I look forward to the other books in the series.

[Gerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! For me, this was a book hard to put down. Beautifully written in first person present tense, I was carried away not just by the story line, but the words used, while slowly uncovering bits and pieces of the detective's back story. I'm anxious to read the next story from this author to find out more about P.I. Daniel Beckett's history. The author is a talented writer, snarky and humorous, his story full of surprises. I highly recommend this book.

[Scott Pettit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just couldn't put it down

Very few authors pull me into a story like Mr. Piper did with this one and I am oh so glad he did! I really, really enjoyed his style of writing and the way he wove his keen sense of humor through a rather harrowing tale of a world outside of my glass house. Troublesome, dangerously sinful, yet fabulously interesting and morally satisfying through and through. Done and done and sincerely hope he has another one for me to read!

[Russell . · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously, you have to read this one! A fantastic intensely provocative novel about a private investigator on a case about a questionable missing person. As the story unfolds, a series of unusual leads takes the PI into another sinister directions. Being set in London, Piper’s writing, descriptions & brilliant protagonist makes the novel credible and beautifully realistic. Can’t wait to read more books by Piper...excellent job!

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The name's Beckett ... Daniel Beckett

If you like action mysteries with a hint of smut, you'll enjoy stories by Dominic Piper. Of coarse your male ego might get a tad bruised because every dame falls for Beckett without fail and he pleases them all. Super stud. Twisty plot, minimum of typos, page turner, mindlessly enjoyable.

[Robert The Chalmers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must Read. Tough, with a fondness for gorgeous women.

So he gets really pissed when someone goes out of their way to hurt some of them. This is a P.I. with talents you know will be hard used. If you like a P.I. with a mysterious past and no apparent background you will love this story.