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DCI John Blizzard #2
Strange Little Girl
A desecrated grave, an unforgotten crime, and a no-nonsense detective on the case
When detective John Blizzard is called to Hafton city cemetery to inspect a recently desecrated grave, he quickly suspects it is something to do with a girl who went missing years before.
The grave belongs to the victims of an unsolved murder case, involving members of the family to which the girl belonged.
DCI Blizzard is sure that the father was the culprit but previous attempts to bring him to justice had failed. Now a wealthy businessman, Blizzard is still determined to put him under lock and key.
Spurred by the recent events, he convinces his divisional commander that the case be reopened. But Blizzard gets more than he bargained for when police probing brings a genuinely feared villain back to the area – a gangster who has always evaded the law and is ready to use any means necessary to do his dirty work.
When a new murder is committed, the pressure is on to solve the case. But something is being hidden from the detectives and the clues point to a sinister crime ring that will do anything to evade capture and protect its interests.
When detective John Blizzard is called to Hafton city cemetery to inspect a recently desecrated grave, he quickly suspects it is something to do with a girl who went missing years before.
The grave belongs to the victims of an unsolved murder case, involving members of the family to which the girl belonged.
DCI Blizzard is sure that the father was the culprit but previous attempts to bring him to justice had failed. Now a wealthy businessman, Blizzard is still determined to put him under lock and key.
Spurred by the recent events, he convinces his divisional commander that the case be reopened. But Blizzard gets more than he bargained for when police probing brings a genuinely feared villain back to the area – a gangster who has always evaded the law and is ready to use any means necessary to do his dirty work.
When a new murder is committed, the pressure is on to solve the case. But something is being hidden from the detectives and the clues point to a sinister crime ring that will do anything to evade capture and protect its interests.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
1251 people are currently reading
499 people want to read
About the author
John Dean
133 books82 followersJohn Dean is a freelance journalist who has runs his own business and draws heavily on his years as a crime reporter for newspapers and magazines to create his novels.
He is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association and cites Sherlock Holmes as his all-time favorite detective. He lives in the South West of Scotland.
(Also writes under the pseudonym John Stanley)
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
He is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association and cites Sherlock Holmes as his all-time favorite detective. He lives in the South West of Scotland.
(Also writes under the pseudonym John Stanley)
Librarian's note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
May 5, 2019
"A good police procedural"
A strong central character in DCI Blizzard and a supporting cast of coppers who give the whole thing plenty of variety. The villains are as evil as you want them to be and the pace of the action is steady and consistent. You know everything will turn out OK in the end but as in all good thrillers not everyone emerges unscathed.
A strong central character in DCI Blizzard and a supporting cast of coppers who give the whole thing plenty of variety. The villains are as evil as you want them to be and the pace of the action is steady and consistent. You know everything will turn out OK in the end but as in all good thrillers not everyone emerges unscathed.
September 22, 2019
I found the case intriguing and enjoyed the way the detective works to solve it. The characters were great, the scene in the French countryside fit in so well and had me turning the pages quickly.
November 27, 2024
This is a complicated but satisfying and interesting mystery novel. I like that the main character, DCI Blizzard is a take-no-prisoners kind of detective that does not mind taking action. There are several plots going on here that converge nicely in the end and come to a good resolution. The police team, except for DS Colley, is not well fleshed out and it would be nice to have more information on some of the different detectives and constables. There are many and they tend to be alike. I enjoyed seeing the annoying attorneys get slapped down and the press get in trouble. Overall this is a short, well-written and fast-paced mystery.
January 7, 2023
This is such a good series! I just love John Blizzard.
Read
December 16, 2021I love these books like coming back to old family.
October 31, 2017
Hugely enjoyable murder mystery with great characters and a plot that keeps you guessing right up until the final pages. I love the no-nonsense DCI John Blizzard, who’s not afraid to tell it how it is. We get to see a softer side of Blizzard in this novel, as he battles with a harrowing case. The troubling subject matter, the murder and disappearance of two young girls, is sensitively handled, and has a big emotional impact on both the characters and the readers. Looking forward to reading more in this series.
December 25, 2020
Sad but realistic
I definitely enjoyed this book. Really sad though because this happens more than we know. We read and hear about this happening all over and I for one will never understand how anyone can hurt a child. My only complaint while reading was about Jay and the fact her being pregnant and the alcohol she was consuming on more than one occasion. We have all heard of the dangers of drinking alcohol while expecting and I was shocked they mentioned numerous times of her drinking. Yes, that is my own opinion and while I realize the seriousness of what the book was about this did bother me.
I definitely enjoyed this book. Really sad though because this happens more than we know. We read and hear about this happening all over and I for one will never understand how anyone can hurt a child. My only complaint while reading was about Jay and the fact her being pregnant and the alcohol she was consuming on more than one occasion. We have all heard of the dangers of drinking alcohol while expecting and I was shocked they mentioned numerous times of her drinking. Yes, that is my own opinion and while I realize the seriousness of what the book was about this did bother me.
February 22, 2019
Good story, but beware of the "f"bomb. Definitely not needed and detracted from the quality of the book!
February 3, 2019
Good British Police Procedural With a Paranormal Touch
This is my first DCI John Blizzard book by John Dean, although I’ve read his DCI Jack Harris police procedurals. This was a good, quick read with a plot about smuggling crates of guns from Russia, and another, more disquieting plot about a secretive, child-abuse ring. The gun running was straightforward, but the other case was complicated by the status of the members.
For a short police procedural, there was a lot of personal angst and melodrama. I do appreciate wanting to humanize the police, but in a shorter book like this, I’d prefer reading more about crime scenes, forensics and pathology.
I did like the paranormal touch which was just enough to feel real. The girl specter—a very quiet, solitary and bullied child—was missing and presumed dead, but her body was never found. I could imagine that she’d want to be found. It spoke to DCI Blizzard’s character that he wanted to find her bones, so she could have a gravestone and be properly mourned.
Recommended for fans of British police procedurals.
This is my first DCI John Blizzard book by John Dean, although I’ve read his DCI Jack Harris police procedurals. This was a good, quick read with a plot about smuggling crates of guns from Russia, and another, more disquieting plot about a secretive, child-abuse ring. The gun running was straightforward, but the other case was complicated by the status of the members.
For a short police procedural, there was a lot of personal angst and melodrama. I do appreciate wanting to humanize the police, but in a shorter book like this, I’d prefer reading more about crime scenes, forensics and pathology.
I did like the paranormal touch which was just enough to feel real. The girl specter—a very quiet, solitary and bullied child—was missing and presumed dead, but her body was never found. I could imagine that she’d want to be found. It spoke to DCI Blizzard’s character that he wanted to find her bones, so she could have a gravestone and be properly mourned.
Recommended for fans of British police procedurals.
February 4, 2019
A detective keep thinking he was seeing a little girl ghost in the cemetery when he went there and seen red paint splattered on a headstone. It was near a little girls headstone who died as a result of a truck hitting her.They never figured out who for sure was driving the truck. It all revolved around people getting beat up or dying. The police thought it was done for insurance money till they got some kind of tip that maybe there were guns being smuggled . End up there was something else in this town going on right under the cops noses. What a shocker to them.
April 16, 2019
John Dean DCI Blizzard Series
The DCI Blizzard series takes place in Britain - where most of the mysteries I read begin. John Dean's characters are interesting, but at some points very confusing. Confusing? Sometimes major characters are introduced without much context. I often read these books and tried to sort out who did what after the book was finished.
Regardless, his work in interesting and I enjoyed the read. If you’re a sucker for British police procedurals (like I am) you'll like these books.
The DCI Blizzard series takes place in Britain - where most of the mysteries I read begin. John Dean's characters are interesting, but at some points very confusing. Confusing? Sometimes major characters are introduced without much context. I often read these books and tried to sort out who did what after the book was finished.
Regardless, his work in interesting and I enjoyed the read. If you’re a sucker for British police procedurals (like I am) you'll like these books.
February 2, 2021
Book two in series. I wasn't all that thrilled with the first book in series. I really loved author John Dean's other DCI series featuring John "Hawk" Harris. "Strange Little Girl", was a pleasant surprise reading. With a solid protagonist who has an off beat personality was itself very clever to be sure. Well developed and fleshed out supporting characters were a solid plus. A short read at just over 200 pages Kindle, this one reads very quickly. Hopefully third book of this eight book series continues to get better with each time out. Check it out. An interesting series so far.
January 26, 2019
Burdened by too many characters and competing story lines, this police procedural disappoints. It is choppy and an unbelivable mix of accident, murder, sex trafficiking and child exploitation, and gun running. The angst of the officers is overdone and their personal lives are uninteresting. The usual police politics adds an unpleasant undertone and the conclusion is not satisfactory. This DCI Blizzard novel just left me cold.
February 3, 2019
I'm sorry to say I was disappointed in this book. The writing is good but the tone was off for me. Everything seemed in a monotone and for me there was no tension or suspense. The characters all seemed rather bored as well. And for a book called, Strange Little Girl, we saw precious little of her.
Because the writing was good, I might give this author another go but sorry - this book didn't deliver for me.
Because the writing was good, I might give this author another go but sorry - this book didn't deliver for me.
March 16, 2019
Good Enough, I’ll Read Another: Slight Spoilers
I liked the characters. As the series goes on, I expect they’ll get more depth. The plot was okay and kept my interest. There were some things that an editor should have caught. A character is said to be childless, yet later in the same chapter his daughter is referred to. In another scene near the end, Blizzard is asked a question, but Colley responds. No mention is made of rescuing any of the child victims.
I liked the characters. As the series goes on, I expect they’ll get more depth. The plot was okay and kept my interest. There were some things that an editor should have caught. A character is said to be childless, yet later in the same chapter his daughter is referred to. In another scene near the end, Blizzard is asked a question, but Colley responds. No mention is made of rescuing any of the child victims.
July 30, 2019
DCI John Blizzard is called to Hafton city cemetery as a grave has been desecrated - a grave of the victims of an unsolved case from fifteen years ago. Using this act as a pretext, Blizzard opens up the cold case as he is convinced that the father is the guilty person. But this case only scratches the surface of the crimes in the town.
An interesting and enjoyable well-written crime story with some believeable characters.
An interesting and enjoyable well-written crime story with some believeable characters.
November 1, 2017
Despite touching on quite a grim topic, this is a well-paced and enjoyable read. Blizzard is the kind of detective I like: he has a heart but keeps it close to his chest (ahem). He sees an opportunity to solve a crime that has troubled him for years, but that takes him into dangerous waters. The victims are mostly dead and buried, but the perpetrators are going to feel the long arm of the law.
March 28, 2018
Hauntingly brilliant
It took me a while to get to grips with this story. But once I did it was a real page turner. Each character was well rounded you actually felt you knew them. That you were there working alongside them. Trying to work out the who and how. I thought it was brilliant and just a little sad.
It took me a while to get to grips with this story. But once I did it was a real page turner. Each character was well rounded you actually felt you knew them. That you were there working alongside them. Trying to work out the who and how. I thought it was brilliant and just a little sad.
February 5, 2019
Quite good
I did enjoy the story in this book, the plots are quite well written with good characteristics of the people concerned. But the swearing, blasphemy and cursing which became more prevalent as the book went on was a downer for me. The subject of the child sex ring was very awful.
I did enjoy the story in this book, the plots are quite well written with good characteristics of the people concerned. But the swearing, blasphemy and cursing which became more prevalent as the book went on was a downer for me. The subject of the child sex ring was very awful.
January 28, 2022
The book is well paced with smooth action and interesting characters. The conclusion was a little Deus ex Machina, but I suspect most cases are closed simply by someone finally breaking their silence. Books dealing with child abuse are emotional by nature, but Dean handles it with a deft hand, allowing the anger and pain to come out but not wallowing in it or over dramatising it.
July 28, 2025
Getting into the ways of John Blizzard. Especially when he has the case of desecrated headstones coming at him. Along with dodgy hauliers, gun running and a child exploitation ring.
John and his sidekick, Colley, make a good pairing. Serious when working but with moments of some good laugh out loud comments.
John and his sidekick, Colley, make a good pairing. Serious when working but with moments of some good laugh out loud comments.
February 20, 2018
I enjoyed it
I was going to suspend belief but it did feel realistic .In the light of real cover ups - I did think that a copper or an odd clergyman would have been thrown into the mix of culprits .
I was going to suspend belief but it did feel realistic .In the light of real cover ups - I did think that a copper or an odd clergyman would have been thrown into the mix of culprits .
August 18, 2018
Fun Read
Easy reading, entertaining storyline, nice character development, and plot moved forward very nicely. Would recommend this book for anyone looking for a good deceive novel.
Easy reading, entertaining storyline, nice character development, and plot moved forward very nicely. Would recommend this book for anyone looking for a good deceive novel.
October 22, 2018
Strange little girl
It is so sad to know the awful things that go on in this world.
The abuse of children is the most depraved of any acts I know of.
This story was well told and I'm glad I read it.
This is a really interesting series
It is so sad to know the awful things that go on in this world.
The abuse of children is the most depraved of any acts I know of.
This story was well told and I'm glad I read it.
This is a really interesting series
January 30, 2019
Great detective series
Lovely to find a new British DCI character with an interesting support team full of great characters. This is my first read and I will be following this Detective on all his cases!
Lovely to find a new British DCI character with an interesting support team full of great characters. This is my first read and I will be following this Detective on all his cases!
February 2, 2019
Reviews are always personal and, for me, this was fairly run of the mill tale.
Having said this the story moved at a good pace and I finished it quickly.
I'm not convince by the name of the lead detective. Seems to me to be influenced by Jack Frost, from the TV series A Touch Of Frost.
Having said this the story moved at a good pace and I finished it quickly.
I'm not convince by the name of the lead detective. Seems to me to be influenced by Jack Frost, from the TV series A Touch Of Frost.
February 7, 2019
The missing link
The book was a good read. A little s!is sometimes but for the most part moved rather well. I especially enjoyed Blizzards character. Will certainly get another by this author.
The book was a good read. A little s!is sometimes but for the most part moved rather well. I especially enjoyed Blizzards character. Will certainly get another by this author.
February 12, 2019
Good book!
This was a gritty police procedural set in England. While the story was fictional, the subject matter might be taboo for some readers. I highly recommend it to other readers who enjoy police procedurals.
This was a gritty police procedural set in England. While the story was fictional, the subject matter might be taboo for some readers. I highly recommend it to other readers who enjoy police procedurals.
February 16, 2019
Maybe I didn't read carefully enough, but much of the story depended on conclusions that had no foundation, which took away from the enjoyment for me. I did like the main characters, and the story was interesting.
February 21, 2019
Slow, until the half way point.
Detective and others, trying to find out about the child murders. While doing that, they come upon a child sex ring. Really good, after the slow part.
Detective and others, trying to find out about the child murders. While doing that, they come upon a child sex ring. Really good, after the slow part.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews