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Ben Cooper & Diane Fry #18
Fall Down Dead
Dramatic . . . gripping' The TimesThe dramatic, gripping new Cooper & Fry crime thriller from bestseller Stephen Booth sees the stunning Peak District prove fatal for one walking party.They knew the danger, but they went anyway... "Almost before she'd stopped breathing, a swirl of mist snaked across her legs and settled in her hair, clutching her in its chilly embrace, hiding her body from view. It would be hours before she was found." The mountain of Kinder Scout offers the most incredible views of the Peak District, but when thick fog descends there on a walking party led by enigmatic Darius Roth, this spectacular landscape is turned into a death trap that claims a life.For DI Ben Cooper however, something about the way Faith Matthew fell to her death suggests it was no accident, and he quickly discovers more than one of the hikers may have had reason to murder their companion.To make things worse, his old colleague DS Diane Fry finds herself at centre of an internal investigations storm that threatens to drag Cooper down with it. 'Makes high summer as terrifying as midwinter'Val McDermid'Crime writing at its finest'Daily Mail'A modern master' Guardian'A first rate mysterySunday Telegraph'Ingenious Plotting and richly atmospheric'Reginald Hill
384 pages, Hardcover
First published August 16, 2018
121 people are currently reading
416 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Booth
55 books672 followersStephen Booth is the author of 18 novels in the Cooper & Fry series, all set around England's Peak District, and a standalone novel DROWNED LIVES, published in August 2019.
The Cooper & Fry series has won awards on both sides of the Atlantic, and Detective Constable Cooper has been a finalist for the Sherlock Award for Best Detective created by a British author. The Crime Writers’ Association presented Stephen with the Dagger in the Library Award for “the author whose books have given readers most pleasure.”
The novels are sold all around the world, with translations in 16 languages. The most recent title is FALL DOWN DEAD.
A new Stephen Booth standalone novel with a historical theme, DROWNED LIVES, will be published in August 2019:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drowned-Live...
In recent years, Stephen has become a Library Champion in support of the UK’s ‘Love Libraries’ campaign. He's represented British literature at the Helsinki Book Fair in Finland, appeared with Alexander McCall Smith at the Melbourne Writers’ Festival in Australia, filmed a documentary for 20th Century Fox on the French detective Vidocq, taken part in online chats for World Book Day, taught crime writing courses, and visited prisons to talk to prisoners about writing.
He lives in Nottinghamshire.
The Cooper & Fry series has won awards on both sides of the Atlantic, and Detective Constable Cooper has been a finalist for the Sherlock Award for Best Detective created by a British author. The Crime Writers’ Association presented Stephen with the Dagger in the Library Award for “the author whose books have given readers most pleasure.”
The novels are sold all around the world, with translations in 16 languages. The most recent title is FALL DOWN DEAD.
A new Stephen Booth standalone novel with a historical theme, DROWNED LIVES, will be published in August 2019:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drowned-Live...
In recent years, Stephen has become a Library Champion in support of the UK’s ‘Love Libraries’ campaign. He's represented British literature at the Helsinki Book Fair in Finland, appeared with Alexander McCall Smith at the Melbourne Writers’ Festival in Australia, filmed a documentary for 20th Century Fox on the French detective Vidocq, taken part in online chats for World Book Day, taught crime writing courses, and visited prisons to talk to prisoners about writing.
He lives in Nottinghamshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
August 16, 2018
'Fall Down Dead' is bestselling crime writer Stephen Booth's eighteenth installment in the popular DI Ben Cooper and DS Diane Fry series set in the pristine, scenic surroundings of the Peak District. This is another bracingly intelligent addition to a series I have found myself thoroughly enjoying, with each new book being better than the last.
When a group of thirteen ramblers get lost in the fog on the Kinder Scout plateau in Derbyshire, and one of them is discovered dead at the bottom of an area known as Dead Woman's Drop, serious questions arise. Was Faith Matthews pushed to her death or did she slip accidentally? Enter DI Cooper who finds Matthews' death to be suspicious and trusts his gut that there is a little more to the story than first meets the eye. Despite the postmortem coming back as unconclusive, Ben continues to investigate and soon discovers that more than one of the ramblers had reason to want Faith dead. Once murder has been established he reluctantly passes the case on to the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU), the division DS Fry is employed by, although he is unable to contact her directly due to the ongoing internal investigation into her conduct by Professional Standards.
This was a novel rich in detail with a beautiful setting and wonderful atmospherics. The setting is almost cast as a character and is a substantial part of the overall plot. The dynamic between Ben and Diane is odd to say the least, but it does work very well. They both have completely different personalities, and this makes for interesting reading - Diane is a loner with a no-nonsense approach to everything, whilst Ben is laid back, friendly and affable. There are two storylines that run parallel to one another - the major plot follows the hikers in the Peak District National Park, and the minor plot follows the investigation into Diane Fry, both of which were compelling. Booth manages to pull off these intertwining narratives without confusing the reader - quite a feat! With the lack of available forensics, due to the sparse landscape in which the murder takes place, DI Cooper is forced to turn his detective skills to inspecting the lives and relationships of each of the individuals that were part of the walking group in order to find motive. The novel slowly unfurls as a series of spectacular reveals are made which makes for a thrilling denouement and wraps the story up nicely.
Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group/Sphere for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
When a group of thirteen ramblers get lost in the fog on the Kinder Scout plateau in Derbyshire, and one of them is discovered dead at the bottom of an area known as Dead Woman's Drop, serious questions arise. Was Faith Matthews pushed to her death or did she slip accidentally? Enter DI Cooper who finds Matthews' death to be suspicious and trusts his gut that there is a little more to the story than first meets the eye. Despite the postmortem coming back as unconclusive, Ben continues to investigate and soon discovers that more than one of the ramblers had reason to want Faith dead. Once murder has been established he reluctantly passes the case on to the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU), the division DS Fry is employed by, although he is unable to contact her directly due to the ongoing internal investigation into her conduct by Professional Standards.
This was a novel rich in detail with a beautiful setting and wonderful atmospherics. The setting is almost cast as a character and is a substantial part of the overall plot. The dynamic between Ben and Diane is odd to say the least, but it does work very well. They both have completely different personalities, and this makes for interesting reading - Diane is a loner with a no-nonsense approach to everything, whilst Ben is laid back, friendly and affable. There are two storylines that run parallel to one another - the major plot follows the hikers in the Peak District National Park, and the minor plot follows the investigation into Diane Fry, both of which were compelling. Booth manages to pull off these intertwining narratives without confusing the reader - quite a feat! With the lack of available forensics, due to the sparse landscape in which the murder takes place, DI Cooper is forced to turn his detective skills to inspecting the lives and relationships of each of the individuals that were part of the walking group in order to find motive. The novel slowly unfurls as a series of spectacular reveals are made which makes for a thrilling denouement and wraps the story up nicely.
Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group/Sphere for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
July 7, 2022
There was a different feel to the writing in this volume of the series and I sped through at quite a pace, rather than savoring the eloquence of description of place. There are two storylines and I almost enjoyed the one involving Diane more and found I sped up my reading speed to get to those parts of the book.
One thing I noted and found a bit annoying were the references to the Mass trespass of Kinder Scout, which I knew nothing about. Out of curiosity and impatience to know what it was, I researched it independently only to turn over the page to page 119, where it was finally explained.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and was glad to be able to read at my own pace, rather than listen to the audiobook version.
Quote I liked: "It's the way someone moves that gives them away, isn't it? Their walk, the angle they hold their head."
Finally, I loved reading about Dolly, the Kinder Mountain Rescue Team's search and rescue dog. She appears as one of the characters in this book and in the acknowledgments at the end.
One thing I noted and found a bit annoying were the references to the Mass trespass of Kinder Scout, which I knew nothing about. Out of curiosity and impatience to know what it was, I researched it independently only to turn over the page to page 119, where it was finally explained.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and was glad to be able to read at my own pace, rather than listen to the audiobook version.
Quote I liked: "It's the way someone moves that gives them away, isn't it? Their walk, the angle they hold their head."
Finally, I loved reading about Dolly, the Kinder Mountain Rescue Team's search and rescue dog. She appears as one of the characters in this book and in the acknowledgments at the end.
August 20, 2019
This highly enduring series is, for me at least, a bit unusual, as I enjoy it, not so much for the characters, but the plots and location. Detective Inspector Ben Cooper is, undoubtedly, an all-round decent guy. However, in a literary sense, his lack of foibles and flaws makes him somewhat boring. Diane Fry, by contrast, is an almost pathological careerist who hardly has any life outside her job. Yet, despite her lofty ambitions and hard work, she is still stuck in the lowly rank of Detective Sergeant and finds herself subject to an internal investigation. A scandal that threatens to engulf Ben too.
In the meantime, the main story here concerns a group of thirteen hikers attempting to climb Kinder Scout (the highest point in the Peak District and the southern terminus of the Pennine Way) in atrocious weather. Almost predictably, they get lost and, when Search and Rescue eventually find them, one of the original thirteen is missing. Was it an accident, or was it murder?
The storyline alternates between Ben’s team’s investigation into what really happened on Kinder Scout and Diane’s attempts to exonerate herself, so each chapter ends with a couple of cliffhangers.
As well as the exemplary plotting, I really enjoyed the descriptions of the bleak, beautiful and treacherous landscape of Kinder Scout. Another worthy addition to this excellent series.
In the meantime, the main story here concerns a group of thirteen hikers attempting to climb Kinder Scout (the highest point in the Peak District and the southern terminus of the Pennine Way) in atrocious weather. Almost predictably, they get lost and, when Search and Rescue eventually find them, one of the original thirteen is missing. Was it an accident, or was it murder?
The storyline alternates between Ben’s team’s investigation into what really happened on Kinder Scout and Diane’s attempts to exonerate herself, so each chapter ends with a couple of cliffhangers.
As well as the exemplary plotting, I really enjoyed the descriptions of the bleak, beautiful and treacherous landscape of Kinder Scout. Another worthy addition to this excellent series.
July 31, 2018
I cannot praise this series enough - I absolutely love it and Fall Down Dead is my favourite to date. The moody yet spectacular Kinder Scout in the Peak District provides the perfect setting (I know it quite well and I love how it broods over the novel). Always good to see Ben and Diane again. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
October 9, 2018
Fall Down Dead is the newest release from author Stephen Booth. This is the 18th (!) entry in his Cooper and Fry series. It's a first read of this series for me.
A group of thirteen ramblers go walking on Kinder Scout, a difficult - and dangerous - climb, in the Peak District of England. The group becomes disoriented in the fog, losing their sense of direction and the path. When the rescue patrol finally brings them off the mountain, there are only twelve. One of their number has fallen - or was she pushed - at Dead Woman's Drop.
Cooper and his team are charged with investigating the event, while Fry is herself being investigated by Professional Standards.
It's great having twelve suspects to choose from. (A hint of Agatha Christie) As each recounts their memory of the event, Cooper and his team must discern who is telling the truth. For it seems like none are being completely forthright. Especially the group's leader Darius. My opinion on who it could be changed with each new interview and revelation. (And when I did reach the end, it wasn't who I suspected)
Diane is unsure what Professional Standards is looking for. It is only as the interviews continue that she begins to get an idea of what they're after. And that she might need some help. Not something she's used to asking for.
I quite liked both of these characters. The relationship between the two seems complicated. They're polar opposites and that makes for a charged dynamic. I enjoyed the personal story lines of each key player. British police duos are the basis of some of my favourite series. However, I did feel like I was playing catch up with what has transpired in the past for Cooper and Fry. Booth does provide enough information that I could appreciate what was happening with Fry in this latest. I am not a reader who will go backwards once I know where the character's lives are now. But I would absolutely pick up Booth's next book to see where they go from here.
Booth's description of the Peak area, the mountain and the climbing was really descriptive and brought the setting to life. Bleak, beautiful and treacherous. (I went online to look at pictures and it is something to see.) And the history behind the Mass Trespass of Kinder Scout was fascinating as well. I appreciate history woven into a fictional tale.
A new author to add to my list!
A group of thirteen ramblers go walking on Kinder Scout, a difficult - and dangerous - climb, in the Peak District of England. The group becomes disoriented in the fog, losing their sense of direction and the path. When the rescue patrol finally brings them off the mountain, there are only twelve. One of their number has fallen - or was she pushed - at Dead Woman's Drop.
Cooper and his team are charged with investigating the event, while Fry is herself being investigated by Professional Standards.
It's great having twelve suspects to choose from. (A hint of Agatha Christie) As each recounts their memory of the event, Cooper and his team must discern who is telling the truth. For it seems like none are being completely forthright. Especially the group's leader Darius. My opinion on who it could be changed with each new interview and revelation. (And when I did reach the end, it wasn't who I suspected)
Diane is unsure what Professional Standards is looking for. It is only as the interviews continue that she begins to get an idea of what they're after. And that she might need some help. Not something she's used to asking for.
I quite liked both of these characters. The relationship between the two seems complicated. They're polar opposites and that makes for a charged dynamic. I enjoyed the personal story lines of each key player. British police duos are the basis of some of my favourite series. However, I did feel like I was playing catch up with what has transpired in the past for Cooper and Fry. Booth does provide enough information that I could appreciate what was happening with Fry in this latest. I am not a reader who will go backwards once I know where the character's lives are now. But I would absolutely pick up Booth's next book to see where they go from here.
Booth's description of the Peak area, the mountain and the climbing was really descriptive and brought the setting to life. Bleak, beautiful and treacherous. (I went online to look at pictures and it is something to see.) And the history behind the Mass Trespass of Kinder Scout was fascinating as well. I appreciate history woven into a fictional tale.
A new author to add to my list!
February 16, 2019
After Dead in the Dark I thought this was it, I’m not reading more Cooper&Fry. The series that I once really liked had become gradually lacking in quality, and I thought enough is enough. But the curiosity got the better of me once more, and here we are. And unfortunatly I didn’t really like this book either. It just seemed like no one really cared about anything; when the boyfriend of the victim was interviewed the day after the murder it was like they were talking about a theft or something, it didn’t seem like the bf cared at all, and the same with mother and brother as well. And the plot was boring, the Cooper/Fry-saga is boring, the characters overall were boring and I didn’t engage in this book at all. I feel it’s so much of the same all the time, moody Diane with all her secrets and the oh so nice Ben who just stumble along, after 18 books it’s getting really old. So, this time I really think it’s my last Cooper&Fry book. Sorry :-/
February 5, 2019
Bit of a shambles. The group was ridiculously unrealistic and the plot was silly. With regard to the general, continuing, background storyline, there were a lot of slips and inaccuracies. It all came across as rather sloppy, and I think it is time for Cooper and Fry to retire from the literary world.
June 11, 2019
I thought the first half of this book was boring but it got better after half way. The author is apparently unaware (or chose not to include) that nearly all smartphones built since 2007 have built in GPS. They don't need to be within range of a cell phone network to use it. In addition, they have a built in magnetometer for the compass and photos taken with a cell phone have metadata which includes the position of where the photo was taken. I am sure the police are well aware of this last fact since it would be useful on occasion.
August 20, 2018
The 18th book in the Cooper and Fry series, and I still love it. I'm even starting to warm to Fry now (I disliked her when I first started the series.)
As always, Stephen Booth takes the reader on a breathtaking journey through the Peak District. That's the the thing I love about Stephen. As well as delivering a great police procedural, his descriptions of the Peak District make the reader feel as if they are there.
As always, Stephen Booth takes the reader on a breathtaking journey through the Peak District. That's the the thing I love about Stephen. As well as delivering a great police procedural, his descriptions of the Peak District make the reader feel as if they are there.
June 10, 2020
I like Stephen Booth as an author, but recently this series has been losing momentum. This one is a bit of an improvement, but if it is to continue to hold interest, some drastic changes are needed. The tension between Ben as the local country lad and Diane as the cynical townie worked well at first, but for the dynamic to continue to work, they needed to get closer, even if the relationship continued to be difficult. Instead, Diane became increasingly and gratuitously unpleasant, beyond what was convincing, and indeed, there seemed to be little point in continuing her presence in the series. Having said that, I enjoyed the book where her past reemerged as a cold case. These earlier events reappear in this book, alternating with the main plot concerning the death of a walker on Kinder Scout. This makes the book rather bewildering to anyone who hasn't read the earlier one, and although I had read it, I couldn't remember the details which were very complicated.
These days it's usual for crime writers to involve us in the personal lives of their detectives and I really wish they wouldn't as Donna Leon is the only one who really pulls it off. I found Angie, Diane's sister, intensely irritating from the start. And Stephen Booth is no good at describing romantic relationships. Ben's fiancee, Liz, was killed in a fire, which was probably a good thing, because it was a totally passionless, dull affair. The present one with Chloe is no better. Perhaps this accounts for why Ben and Diane's relationship has gone so dramatically wrong - the author is no good at developing close, emotional ties between his characters.
Now to the main plot which was ok. It was never very clear to me how people got to join this walking group, why Darius was so obsessed with the mass trespass - evidently it wasn"t for the reasons we thought - or how certain characters had become objects of his philanthropy. The vital clue which the author normally slips in unnoticed, but the detective recalls at a later date and leads to the unmasking of the villain, stood out like a sore thumb. But hey, the perfect crime book has probably never been written, and this one kept me pleasantly occupied on a wet day during lockdown.
These days it's usual for crime writers to involve us in the personal lives of their detectives and I really wish they wouldn't as Donna Leon is the only one who really pulls it off. I found Angie, Diane's sister, intensely irritating from the start. And Stephen Booth is no good at describing romantic relationships. Ben's fiancee, Liz, was killed in a fire, which was probably a good thing, because it was a totally passionless, dull affair. The present one with Chloe is no better. Perhaps this accounts for why Ben and Diane's relationship has gone so dramatically wrong - the author is no good at developing close, emotional ties between his characters.
Now to the main plot which was ok. It was never very clear to me how people got to join this walking group, why Darius was so obsessed with the mass trespass - evidently it wasn"t for the reasons we thought - or how certain characters had become objects of his philanthropy. The vital clue which the author normally slips in unnoticed, but the detective recalls at a later date and leads to the unmasking of the villain, stood out like a sore thumb. But hey, the perfect crime book has probably never been written, and this one kept me pleasantly occupied on a wet day during lockdown.
October 3, 2018
This felt like a bag of tasty facts all jumbled together and I have mixed feelings about the results. It was certainly high time for Kinder Scout to play centre stage in Stephen Booth's Peak Noir series. I was a bit surprised by what *didn't* appear in connection with that but it does give him the opportunity to name check Moors for the Future, Mountain Rescue and SARDA, the kind of stuff us fans lap up.... and leaves plenty of scope to revisit the area and its issues in the future. The way in which the famous Mass Trespass is used in the story is interesting, both the details and the perspective on people's connection with events.
The story was however larded with unnecessary levels of detail, especially brands and models, sometimes verging on becoming a 'sex and shopping' book (without the sex as such) which I found offputting. Worse (maybe he does it deliberately to see if we're actually paying attention rather than just wallowing in the scenery) he gets some things wrong. Elsa has a Level 2 college qualification in Animal Care to start Veterinary Science at Manchester Metropolitan University. I don't think so! (And yes, this does matter in the story - it would be compatible with her living in a fantasy world, but this is put in a police background report) You can also see why the 'local bobbies' are now supposed to hand off to a specialist unit for murders it takes so long for them to look properly for the link between the walk members.
I'll not blame him that the Chestnut Centre, an otter and owl sanctuary near Chapel which features in the book along with some of its residents closed at the end of last year, presumably when he'd already written or drafted most of the book, it just made me feel sad.
Meanwhile, the uber-prickly, quite possibly personality disordered, Diane Fry is in professional bother with some awkward interviews at HQ in Ripley. Too much momentous stuff happens in connection with this for one book (and I am afraid I snorted with derision when a famous movie line is uttered) but there was a lot about that strand that I did like, rather to my surprise. It's disappointing that Ben Fry's new-ish love interest has more said about her outfit and hair do than her personality and not much more than that said about her professional role.
So I was a bit underwhelmed - but would I have wanted to wait or to miss it? No way!
The story was however larded with unnecessary levels of detail, especially brands and models, sometimes verging on becoming a 'sex and shopping' book (without the sex as such) which I found offputting. Worse (maybe he does it deliberately to see if we're actually paying attention rather than just wallowing in the scenery) he gets some things wrong. Elsa has a Level 2 college qualification in Animal Care to start Veterinary Science at Manchester Metropolitan University. I don't think so! (And yes, this does matter in the story - it would be compatible with her living in a fantasy world, but this is put in a police background report) You can also see why the 'local bobbies' are now supposed to hand off to a specialist unit for murders it takes so long for them to look properly for the link between the walk members.
I'll not blame him that the Chestnut Centre, an otter and owl sanctuary near Chapel which features in the book along with some of its residents closed at the end of last year, presumably when he'd already written or drafted most of the book, it just made me feel sad.
Meanwhile, the uber-prickly, quite possibly personality disordered, Diane Fry is in professional bother with some awkward interviews at HQ in Ripley. Too much momentous stuff happens in connection with this for one book (and I am afraid I snorted with derision when a famous movie line is uttered) but there was a lot about that strand that I did like, rather to my surprise. It's disappointing that Ben Fry's new-ish love interest has more said about her outfit and hair do than her personality and not much more than that said about her professional role.
So I was a bit underwhelmed - but would I have wanted to wait or to miss it? No way!
May 5, 2019
I found this offering to be a bit strange as I am not a regular reader of the series so I couldn't fathom why Ben Cooper--- who appears to be a fairly normal man working as a detective and not the usual tormented soul like Rebus or Tony Hill--would bother with the likes of Diane Fry, a hopeless misanthrope if ever I saw one. So if anyone wishes to enlighten me, I am game. The Cooper part of the novel was fairly interesting.but the subplot involving Fry added nothing to the story and made me feel as though I never wanted to read about.Ms. Fry again. Did not get it.
April 30, 2020
This is definitely not the best book in the Cooper and Fry series. Having the main plot about a group of ramblers is rather apt, as the book in general tends to ramble along too - one chapter has several pages of Cooper wandering the moors for pages, without adding anything to the plot at all. The main plot is actually quite good, but the side-plot involving Fry I found to be more annoying than anything else. It doesn't really go anywhere and has lots of flashbacks to previous novels involving sections that appear to be lifted wholesale from other books. Going by this one, maybe it's time Booth retired by Cooper and Fry and started a new set - he won't, of course.
December 13, 2024
A really enjoyable book. Cooper and Fry novels are great. Really good plot, interesting twists and easy to read narrative. Brilliant 😊
November 6, 2018
I gave this 3 stars. I suspect if you are a regular reader of the Cooper and Fry stories then it's probably a 4 star effort.
This book was easy to read and I never felt irritated or wanted to discard it. At the same time, it didn't really grab me. I suspect this may have been a bit different if I had read the previous Cooper and Fry stories. For me, the sub-plot involving Fry didn't add anything to this story. There were constant allusions to previous episodes and obviously if you knew what happened in those then this subplot would have had more meaning, tension etcetera.
As it was, for me the subplot was a constant interruption to the main plot that merely annoyed me instead of being interesting. However, knowing how this bit transpired and (sort of) where Cooper and Fry are at now, I'm not inclined to go back and read the previous ones to find out how we got here.
The main story was okay, but really didn't have any tensions or surprises* and I didn't like any of the suspect group (nor did at least one of the characters) and didn't really care who turned out to be the culprit. An unlikable bunch.
Cooper seems okay, and Fry I'm not sure of (you couldn't tell from this novel, but it seems even Cooper is ambivalent about her so maybe this was intentional). On top of not knowing the previous history, this left me feeling little interest in what happened to her.
* not saying I guessed the answer, but I still felt it could be almost anyone until almost the end and so the denouement was not as surprise.
I think that if you have read and enjoyed the Cooper and Fry stories then you will like this more than I did (I didn't dislike it, it didn't hit my discard pile). I also think that if you have heard good things about this series and want to read the stories, then doing so in chronological order will almost surely enhance your enjoyment.
This book was easy to read and I never felt irritated or wanted to discard it. At the same time, it didn't really grab me. I suspect this may have been a bit different if I had read the previous Cooper and Fry stories. For me, the sub-plot involving Fry didn't add anything to this story. There were constant allusions to previous episodes and obviously if you knew what happened in those then this subplot would have had more meaning, tension etcetera.
As it was, for me the subplot was a constant interruption to the main plot that merely annoyed me instead of being interesting. However, knowing how this bit transpired and (sort of) where Cooper and Fry are at now, I'm not inclined to go back and read the previous ones to find out how we got here.
The main story was okay, but really didn't have any tensions or surprises* and I didn't like any of the suspect group (nor did at least one of the characters) and didn't really care who turned out to be the culprit. An unlikable bunch.
Cooper seems okay, and Fry I'm not sure of (you couldn't tell from this novel, but it seems even Cooper is ambivalent about her so maybe this was intentional). On top of not knowing the previous history, this left me feeling little interest in what happened to her.
* not saying I guessed the answer, but I still felt it could be almost anyone until almost the end and so the denouement was not as surprise.
I think that if you have read and enjoyed the Cooper and Fry stories then you will like this more than I did (I didn't dislike it, it didn't hit my discard pile). I also think that if you have heard good things about this series and want to read the stories, then doing so in chronological order will almost surely enhance your enjoyment.
August 21, 2018
Can hardly wait for the next book.Really enjoy all the local references and can picture where it all happens
Can hardly wait for the next book have told lots of people how good Stephen Booth,s books are Would like Cooper and Fry to get it together
Can hardly wait for the next book have told lots of people how good Stephen Booth,s books are Would like Cooper and Fry to get it together
August 17, 2018
Fall Down Dead is set in the Peak District in the present day. DI Ben Cooper investigates the death of Faith Martin from a fall on Kinder Scout on the Kinder Downfall. Did she fall or was she pushed?
Faith was a member of the New Trespass Walking Club with its charismatic, but driven leader, Darius Roth. There’s a mixed bag of members, a teacher, a retired couple, a musician, a couple of students and two brothers who own a garden nursery. Many with financial links to the leader...
Stephen Booth has written a very atmospheric tale and this is full of great details of the area, especially the disorienting fog and the tensions and menace felt on Kinder. You could almost feel that dampness and it gave me the chills at points.
I really enjoyed the book and it’s interesting facts of the area and the Mass trespass, but I’m puzzled as to why the story of Diane Fry was here, it didn’t really bring anything to the actual investigation and the two stories weren’t really linked and it felt a bit like just a page filler. Other than that a really enjoyable read.
I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
Faith was a member of the New Trespass Walking Club with its charismatic, but driven leader, Darius Roth. There’s a mixed bag of members, a teacher, a retired couple, a musician, a couple of students and two brothers who own a garden nursery. Many with financial links to the leader...
Stephen Booth has written a very atmospheric tale and this is full of great details of the area, especially the disorienting fog and the tensions and menace felt on Kinder. You could almost feel that dampness and it gave me the chills at points.
I really enjoyed the book and it’s interesting facts of the area and the Mass trespass, but I’m puzzled as to why the story of Diane Fry was here, it didn’t really bring anything to the actual investigation and the two stories weren’t really linked and it felt a bit like just a page filler. Other than that a really enjoyable read.
I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
August 2, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an advance copy of Fall Down Dead, the eighteenth novel to feature DI Ben Cooper and DS Diane Fry, set in the Peak District.
When a group of walkers get lost on Kinder Scout in the mist rescuers find one of their number dead at the bottom of a spot known as Dead Woman's Drop. Was Faith Matthews pushed or did she lose her footing? The postmortem is inconclusive so Ben keeps investigating while can because once murder is established he has to hand the case over to EMSOU where Diane Fry works. He tries to get hold of Diane but she's uncontactable because she's being investigated by Professional Standards.
I thoroughly enjoyed Fall Down Dead which has a dual plotline and a good mystery at its heart. The plotlines run run concurrently through the novel with the perspective switching between them regularly, even within chapters. Normally I would find this distracting and annoying but both are so compulsive in their own way that I found myself eating up the pages to get an update on each one.
Ben's investigation is by far the most atmospheric with the bleak, treacherous landscape of Kinder Scout looming large. I could feel the cold and damp and what surprised me most was the lack of fear in the walkers because Mr Booth describes a terrifying scenario, lost in the fog, or does that just say something about my own mentality? Whatever, it's a great piece of writing. With no forensics the rest of his investigation focuses on the walkers, their relationships and history and the inconsistencies in their statements. A steady stream of reveals and discoveries make it engrossing reading.
Diane's encounter with Professional Standards is much more ambiguous. The reader gets a rough idea of what they investigating but no detail and only one example. Again, it is quite unsettling because with no concrete allegations Diane is left to muse over her past and wonder what is going to come back to bite her. There is a strong sense of Big Brother as they know things they shouldn't so she is left to contemplate their source and betrayal. Her feeling of helplessness and the menace of authority are palpable. Even the resolution is shrouded in mystery and while some readers may find it farfetched I have no problem in finding it either believable or probable. It makes for fascinating reading.
I have dipped in and out of this series over the years but even familiarity with it never brings me any closer to understanding the complex relationship between Ben and Diane. Mostly they don't seem to like each other but there is a co-dependency there. Diane turns to Ben when she's in trouble and he doesn't hesitate to help. Much of this is down to their personalities. Ben is easygoing to a point, Diane is spiky, difficult to like and a loner. It's a fascinating dynamic as it's so unusual.
Fall Down Dead is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
When a group of walkers get lost on Kinder Scout in the mist rescuers find one of their number dead at the bottom of a spot known as Dead Woman's Drop. Was Faith Matthews pushed or did she lose her footing? The postmortem is inconclusive so Ben keeps investigating while can because once murder is established he has to hand the case over to EMSOU where Diane Fry works. He tries to get hold of Diane but she's uncontactable because she's being investigated by Professional Standards.
I thoroughly enjoyed Fall Down Dead which has a dual plotline and a good mystery at its heart. The plotlines run run concurrently through the novel with the perspective switching between them regularly, even within chapters. Normally I would find this distracting and annoying but both are so compulsive in their own way that I found myself eating up the pages to get an update on each one.
Ben's investigation is by far the most atmospheric with the bleak, treacherous landscape of Kinder Scout looming large. I could feel the cold and damp and what surprised me most was the lack of fear in the walkers because Mr Booth describes a terrifying scenario, lost in the fog, or does that just say something about my own mentality? Whatever, it's a great piece of writing. With no forensics the rest of his investigation focuses on the walkers, their relationships and history and the inconsistencies in their statements. A steady stream of reveals and discoveries make it engrossing reading.
Diane's encounter with Professional Standards is much more ambiguous. The reader gets a rough idea of what they investigating but no detail and only one example. Again, it is quite unsettling because with no concrete allegations Diane is left to muse over her past and wonder what is going to come back to bite her. There is a strong sense of Big Brother as they know things they shouldn't so she is left to contemplate their source and betrayal. Her feeling of helplessness and the menace of authority are palpable. Even the resolution is shrouded in mystery and while some readers may find it farfetched I have no problem in finding it either believable or probable. It makes for fascinating reading.
I have dipped in and out of this series over the years but even familiarity with it never brings me any closer to understanding the complex relationship between Ben and Diane. Mostly they don't seem to like each other but there is a co-dependency there. Diane turns to Ben when she's in trouble and he doesn't hesitate to help. Much of this is down to their personalities. Ben is easygoing to a point, Diane is spiky, difficult to like and a loner. It's a fascinating dynamic as it's so unusual.
Fall Down Dead is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
September 9, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and to Little, Brown Book Group UK for an advance copy of Fall Down Dead by Stephen Booth.
I'm a massive Stephen Booth fan and I know that this book was completed while the author was recovering from surgery. However, that doesn't detract from the storyline or the character development. And I do think there is some character development in this story, particularly in the case of Diane Fry.
Ben Cooper is a DI in this book, and Diane Fry is a DS, so the roles are reversed from much earlier in their relationship to each other in the earlier books.
As well as the usual things that are going on in both of their lives, there are also two cases to investigate – a shooting that seems to be cut and dried, and a suspicious death (did she jump or was she pushed, or was it an accident?).
I'm accustomed to the characters, old and new, in the Cooper & Fry stories, and I love to read about the landscape and the location, both of which also play big parts in Booth's stories. But I did find the chopping and changing from present day to flashback and back a bit confusing.
For example, it wasn't always immediately clear if we were reading about what was happening "now" or what happened in the past, as there was a lot of "on that day", which isn't very specific and could be either/or.
I found the resolutions of both cases to be a bit vague. For example, the players suddenly decided who did the deed and how it was done for both the shooting and the fall without properly tying up the loose ends. I still don't know who was responsible for the shooting, although it's alluded to, and I have no idea how they came to their first conclusion about the falling case.
And I thought the mystery of the locked lock-up and the yellow box to be completely off the wall. It didn't seem to have anything to do with anything else in the story.
I'll continue reading about Cooper & Fry, though, as it's a series I thoroughly enjoy.
I'm a massive Stephen Booth fan and I know that this book was completed while the author was recovering from surgery. However, that doesn't detract from the storyline or the character development. And I do think there is some character development in this story, particularly in the case of Diane Fry.
Ben Cooper is a DI in this book, and Diane Fry is a DS, so the roles are reversed from much earlier in their relationship to each other in the earlier books.
As well as the usual things that are going on in both of their lives, there are also two cases to investigate – a shooting that seems to be cut and dried, and a suspicious death (did she jump or was she pushed, or was it an accident?).
I'm accustomed to the characters, old and new, in the Cooper & Fry stories, and I love to read about the landscape and the location, both of which also play big parts in Booth's stories. But I did find the chopping and changing from present day to flashback and back a bit confusing.
For example, it wasn't always immediately clear if we were reading about what was happening "now" or what happened in the past, as there was a lot of "on that day", which isn't very specific and could be either/or.
I found the resolutions of both cases to be a bit vague. For example, the players suddenly decided who did the deed and how it was done for both the shooting and the fall without properly tying up the loose ends. I still don't know who was responsible for the shooting, although it's alluded to, and I have no idea how they came to their first conclusion about the falling case.
And I thought the mystery of the locked lock-up and the yellow box to be completely off the wall. It didn't seem to have anything to do with anything else in the story.
I'll continue reading about Cooper & Fry, though, as it's a series I thoroughly enjoy.
September 25, 2018
I have read 9 of the 18 books in Stephen Booth’s Cooper and Fry mystery series which takes place in the Peak District in the UK close by Manchester. And without hesitation I think this is one of the two best in the series that I have read. This is a tight little who done it “ten little Indians” where 13 hikers are lost on a high foggy moor as they go about recreating an historic walk from the 1930s. Only 12 hikers return as one falls from a cliff dropping to the rocks below. Ben Cooper guesses the fall was more than an accident. But how to prove it a murder and then who if any of them did it. Meanwhile his former partner Diane Fry is being investigated by internal affairs over complications with her sister’s drug past and Diane’s reopening her own previous rape case.
What I liked about the structure of this particular book is that the who done it is interesting and well-constructed but more importantly the personal stories and character development of Cooper, Fry and the other characters are all entertainingly included and updated.
I was a bit surprised when I first discovered the plot of this book… 13 friends hike and only 12 return. It sounded so similar to Jane Harper’s new book FORCE OF NATURE (***) which features 5 women on a hike in the outback and only 4 returning. Harper’s book just did not work for me but here Booth makes the premise ring like perfect chimes.
I don’t think you need to begin reading this series at the start. I read the first two books after starting with DEAD AND BURIED. I am hooked now and do follow the author who sends out great emails updating his writing. I am not sure if this book is available in the US as of yet as I ordered it from the UK.
What I liked about the structure of this particular book is that the who done it is interesting and well-constructed but more importantly the personal stories and character development of Cooper, Fry and the other characters are all entertainingly included and updated.
I was a bit surprised when I first discovered the plot of this book… 13 friends hike and only 12 return. It sounded so similar to Jane Harper’s new book FORCE OF NATURE (***) which features 5 women on a hike in the outback and only 4 returning. Harper’s book just did not work for me but here Booth makes the premise ring like perfect chimes.
I don’t think you need to begin reading this series at the start. I read the first two books after starting with DEAD AND BURIED. I am hooked now and do follow the author who sends out great emails updating his writing. I am not sure if this book is available in the US as of yet as I ordered it from the UK.
February 26, 2020
I wasn't sure whether to give this book three or four stars (I'd really prefer to award three and a half) but in the end settled on four because, despite a few shortcomings, it is a solidly entertaining read and I really enjoy the character of Ben Cooper (Diane Fry not so much). The story begins with a walking group setting out for an afternoon hike on Kinder Scout but the weather turns foul and one of the group, Faith Matthew, does not survive the excursion. She is found at the bottom of the aptly named Dead Woman's Drop and at first it seems like suicide but Ben Cooper, industrious as always, is not convinced especially once certain facts pertaining to the charismatic leader of the walking group, Darius Roth, come to light. Meanwhile, his erstwhile colleague Diane Fry is caught up in an internal police investigation that threatens to sink her career and maybe Cooper's as well.
For me, the strongest aspect of 'Fall Down Dead' was the mystery of Faith Matthew's death which really brought Kinder Scout, and the Peak District as a whole, to the forefront where it deserves to be. The setting of this series has always been one of the main things going for it in my view. The storyline regarding Diane Fry and her troubles I struggled with as it tended to bog the whole book down and Diane is such hard work to like or identify with in the first place. Not sure where her and Cooper are leading, if anywhere at all, and can't help but think that Stephen Booth should either write her out and just concentrate on Cooper or throw a big spanner in the works and spice things up a bit. The latter option would be a lot of fun actually! In any event, fans of the series will still enjoy 'Fall Down Dead' but new readers might struggle a fair bit. Four stars.
For me, the strongest aspect of 'Fall Down Dead' was the mystery of Faith Matthew's death which really brought Kinder Scout, and the Peak District as a whole, to the forefront where it deserves to be. The setting of this series has always been one of the main things going for it in my view. The storyline regarding Diane Fry and her troubles I struggled with as it tended to bog the whole book down and Diane is such hard work to like or identify with in the first place. Not sure where her and Cooper are leading, if anywhere at all, and can't help but think that Stephen Booth should either write her out and just concentrate on Cooper or throw a big spanner in the works and spice things up a bit. The latter option would be a lot of fun actually! In any event, fans of the series will still enjoy 'Fall Down Dead' but new readers might struggle a fair bit. Four stars.
October 16, 2018
Stephen Booth is nothing if not consistent, mostly for good reasons but there are a few quibbles available after reading the 18th entry in the Cooper and Fry series, FALL DOWN DEAD. One of my favorite consistencies is the looming presence of the Peaks District, a landscape that defines many of the plots in the Cooper/Fry series and certainly is centerstage in FALL DOWN DEAD. In fact, the Peaks District is a co-equal character with Cooper and Fry in this series. A map can be an asset when reading one of Booth's books for those of us who haven't had the good fortune to visit Peaks District. The land speaks to the characters and it can speak to the reader as well.
Ben Cooper is an accessibly attractive protagonist, who is engaging even though his superpower is a general goodness. He does pull off some Sherlockian deducing whilst resolving the central crime in the plot. That is fun and I hope it continues and expands. Diane Fry is another case. At the same time she is more interesting and more frustrating than Cooper. The dynamic between the two is murky and has been for 18 books now. It just feels like something needs to move forward, at a quicker pace than has heretofore been evident. Some familiar characters re-appear in FALL DOWN DEAD, but everyone is overshadowed by Cooper, Fry, and the Peaks District.
Booth has not had an American publisher for several years, so if you want to enjoy this book you need to pay attention to British sources. It continues to be worth the effort.
Will they or won't they?
No dance for Ben and Diane
can be found in here.
Ben Cooper is an accessibly attractive protagonist, who is engaging even though his superpower is a general goodness. He does pull off some Sherlockian deducing whilst resolving the central crime in the plot. That is fun and I hope it continues and expands. Diane Fry is another case. At the same time she is more interesting and more frustrating than Cooper. The dynamic between the two is murky and has been for 18 books now. It just feels like something needs to move forward, at a quicker pace than has heretofore been evident. Some familiar characters re-appear in FALL DOWN DEAD, but everyone is overshadowed by Cooper, Fry, and the Peaks District.
Booth has not had an American publisher for several years, so if you want to enjoy this book you need to pay attention to British sources. It continues to be worth the effort.
Will they or won't they?
No dance for Ben and Diane
can be found in here.
September 6, 2025
Fall Down Dead by Stephen Booth is part of the successful Cooper & Fry crime thriller series. And in this instalment Kinder Scout mountain is the scene of a tragedy.
A Peak District walking party led by the enigmatic Darius Roth sets out on a dreary day to commemorate The Mass Trespass. However, when thick mist descends the New Trespassers Walking Club become disorientated and start to squabble. With one of the thirteen members injured the group decides to split up and go for help. Hours later when the dishevelled and soaking wet party is reunited they realise one of them is missing. And then a grisly discovery is made at Dead Woman’s Drop.
From the opening line Stephen Booth delivers a fast-paced tale of murder, suspense and intrigue. Added to the main DI Ben Cooper storyline is an internal affairs investigation into his prickly former colleague DC Diane Fry.
As you’d expect from this best-selling author there’s an array of suspects with plenty of twists and turns. And throughout lurks the sinister and moody Kinder Scout mountain. A landscape that continues to claim the lives of unwary walkers.
Overall, Fall Down Dead is a good solid crime thriller. Booth skilfully keeps the reader on their toes as we dive into the lives of the suspects, the victim and the lives of DI Cooper and DS Fry. This is the third Cooper and Fry novel I’ve enjoyed. And for all crime lovers out there, it’s well worth your time.
A Peak District walking party led by the enigmatic Darius Roth sets out on a dreary day to commemorate The Mass Trespass. However, when thick mist descends the New Trespassers Walking Club become disorientated and start to squabble. With one of the thirteen members injured the group decides to split up and go for help. Hours later when the dishevelled and soaking wet party is reunited they realise one of them is missing. And then a grisly discovery is made at Dead Woman’s Drop.
From the opening line Stephen Booth delivers a fast-paced tale of murder, suspense and intrigue. Added to the main DI Ben Cooper storyline is an internal affairs investigation into his prickly former colleague DC Diane Fry.
As you’d expect from this best-selling author there’s an array of suspects with plenty of twists and turns. And throughout lurks the sinister and moody Kinder Scout mountain. A landscape that continues to claim the lives of unwary walkers.
Overall, Fall Down Dead is a good solid crime thriller. Booth skilfully keeps the reader on their toes as we dive into the lives of the suspects, the victim and the lives of DI Cooper and DS Fry. This is the third Cooper and Fry novel I’ve enjoyed. And for all crime lovers out there, it’s well worth your time.
May 26, 2022
Lace up your hiking boots.
Stephen Booth takes us on another detailed tour of the Peak District in this, the 18th entry in his Cooper and Fry series. He seems driven to mention every rock, tree, business, house, and town every character in his books pass. As I’ve said in prior reviews, it detracts from my enjoyment of these stories because the places he names are just words on the page that mean nothing. And I’m not about to buy an Ordinance Survey map just to find them.
Fry and Cooper have minimal interaction here (as they have in every novel since Fry left Edenvale) but it is at least a tad different than their prior ones. Fry is brought before the Professional Standards Bureau on charges of malfeasance and asks Cooper for help. But even here, they can’t forego the passive-aggressive attitude that has been part and parcel of their relationship from day one.
Cooper, at the same time, is trying to solve what happened to a woman who fell to her death while on a hike with a group led by a charismatic hiker. Was her death accident, suicide, or murder? There seem to be no clues pointing to one until Cooper reviews all the witness statements.
As I’ve said before, I find Cooper and Fry’s sniping at each other irritating and Booth’s insistence on turning every book into a travelogue. But Booth continues to write complex mysteries that keep the reader guessing up to the end.
I’ll be back for the next one.
Stephen Booth takes us on another detailed tour of the Peak District in this, the 18th entry in his Cooper and Fry series. He seems driven to mention every rock, tree, business, house, and town every character in his books pass. As I’ve said in prior reviews, it detracts from my enjoyment of these stories because the places he names are just words on the page that mean nothing. And I’m not about to buy an Ordinance Survey map just to find them.
Fry and Cooper have minimal interaction here (as they have in every novel since Fry left Edenvale) but it is at least a tad different than their prior ones. Fry is brought before the Professional Standards Bureau on charges of malfeasance and asks Cooper for help. But even here, they can’t forego the passive-aggressive attitude that has been part and parcel of their relationship from day one.
Cooper, at the same time, is trying to solve what happened to a woman who fell to her death while on a hike with a group led by a charismatic hiker. Was her death accident, suicide, or murder? There seem to be no clues pointing to one until Cooper reviews all the witness statements.
As I’ve said before, I find Cooper and Fry’s sniping at each other irritating and Booth’s insistence on turning every book into a travelogue. But Booth continues to write complex mysteries that keep the reader guessing up to the end.
I’ll be back for the next one.
December 4, 2018
This weekend I went on a journey to the Peak District and visited Kinder Scout. I was sucked into swirling swathes of fog, felt the fear of being lost and disorientated . Felt euphoria at being rescued but that was dampened with the knowledge one of the party was left dead. I did all this without leaving the comfort of my sofa. Stephen wove his magic over the book, the kind of magic that gives you an immersive feel within the pages. Fall Down Dead brings us back into the company of Cooper and Fry as they both take on their own individual battles.
Cooper faces the uphill struggle to find out who is the killer within the walking party. The who and the why takes us on a journey that's filled with misdirection and dead ends. Whilst Cooper works his way through the case Fry is facing her own battle, with an internal investigation that could pull Cooper into its voracious vortex as it spirals out from her and to those surrounding her.
The author has given us another gritty crime novel set against a stunning vista. Entwined the past with the present, painted pictures in our minds with his descriptive words and left us bereft when it ended. Thank you for another amazing book and a wonderful weekend journey from the comfort of my sofa.
Cooper faces the uphill struggle to find out who is the killer within the walking party. The who and the why takes us on a journey that's filled with misdirection and dead ends. Whilst Cooper works his way through the case Fry is facing her own battle, with an internal investigation that could pull Cooper into its voracious vortex as it spirals out from her and to those surrounding her.
The author has given us another gritty crime novel set against a stunning vista. Entwined the past with the present, painted pictures in our minds with his descriptive words and left us bereft when it ended. Thank you for another amazing book and a wonderful weekend journey from the comfort of my sofa.
March 20, 2019
I have read all the books in this series because Stephen Booth writes a solid murder mystery and fills his books with evocative descriptions landscapes in the Peak District. The characters of Ben Cooper and Diane Fry have kept me hooked from book one because they are such opposite characters. Ben being so open and likeable and Diane being closed with no emotions. I enjoyed the descriptions of Kinder Scout in this book. Almost felt like I was there with the hikers. The hikers storyline was interesting for most of the book but dragged on too long. The investigation into DS Fry had potential but kinda petered out and having Ben coming to her rescue again was a bit of a stretch. The big reveal re Fry's mysterious sister was a let down for this long term reader. This book was a good read but I think the time has come for me to say goodbye to this series.I used to buy the book on release but the last 3 books I have just borrowed from the library. Don't think I will bother with next one as I think the Fry & Cooper storyline has got no where further to go. However, if you have only read one or two books in the series and enjoyed them, I suggest you start from the beginning of the series and read them in chronological order. You will enjoy.
March 13, 2020
‘Fall Down Dead’ is the first Stephen Booth book I’ve read and, unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it.
The book begins with a walking group climbing the Kinder Scout mountain to see the beautiful views of the Peak District, but disaster strikes when a dense fog hits the mountain. The group separates and when saved by mountain rescue it becomes clear that one of the walkers—Faith— has fallen to her death.
For DI Cooper, there is something suspicious about the way Faith died; he quickly starts to believe her death wasn’t an accident at all. As the investigation goes further, it becomes clear that many of the group have secrets and perhaps motivations to want Faith dead.
Unfortunately I really didn’t enjoy this book. I feel it was unnecessarily long and the author often described things in great detail when it was not needed. Furthermore, the subplot of the professional investigation into Dianne Fry (an officer who has worked with Cooper in the past) added nothing to the main plot and was boring to read about. For me the it was just an unrelated, repeated interruption to the main plot of the novel.
The plot was readable, but it didn’t have me gripped or shocked whilst reading.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️ (2/5)
The book begins with a walking group climbing the Kinder Scout mountain to see the beautiful views of the Peak District, but disaster strikes when a dense fog hits the mountain. The group separates and when saved by mountain rescue it becomes clear that one of the walkers—Faith— has fallen to her death.
For DI Cooper, there is something suspicious about the way Faith died; he quickly starts to believe her death wasn’t an accident at all. As the investigation goes further, it becomes clear that many of the group have secrets and perhaps motivations to want Faith dead.
Unfortunately I really didn’t enjoy this book. I feel it was unnecessarily long and the author often described things in great detail when it was not needed. Furthermore, the subplot of the professional investigation into Dianne Fry (an officer who has worked with Cooper in the past) added nothing to the main plot and was boring to read about. For me the it was just an unrelated, repeated interruption to the main plot of the novel.
The plot was readable, but it didn’t have me gripped or shocked whilst reading.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️ (2/5)
November 23, 2020
Another great read in this highly recommended series. An accidental death on Kinder Scout seems suspicious to Cooper & leads to him investigating a rather varied group of walkers. Fry, meanwhile, has problems of her own & is being investigated by Professional Standards - will this be the end of her career?
As always the descriptions of the Peak District & the surrounding area are very evocative, with the atmosphere on the dangerous & foggy Kinder Scout particularly well portrayed. However, like the past few books this has a more common place feel to the story with the dark, broodiness I enjoyed early on now only found in the scenic descriptions rather than in a deeper storyline. The dynamics between Cooper & Fry also seem to be falling flat & I'm no longer sure as where their relationship is going...or if I care like I once did.
Overall, it seems to have lost it's originality a bit but that's maybe because I'm so familiar with both the characters & the format. I will, however, still be reading the next instalment....
As always the descriptions of the Peak District & the surrounding area are very evocative, with the atmosphere on the dangerous & foggy Kinder Scout particularly well portrayed. However, like the past few books this has a more common place feel to the story with the dark, broodiness I enjoyed early on now only found in the scenic descriptions rather than in a deeper storyline. The dynamics between Cooper & Fry also seem to be falling flat & I'm no longer sure as where their relationship is going...or if I care like I once did.
Overall, it seems to have lost it's originality a bit but that's maybe because I'm so familiar with both the characters & the format. I will, however, still be reading the next instalment....
December 23, 2019
Fall Down Dead was going to be a mouth watering pre-Christmas read. A bit like the Pisco Sour my wife and I were preparing as our festive cocktail. The story had all the desirable ingredients. A foreboding setting right in the heart of England's mountainous Peak District. A diverse group of dubious characters who belong to a weird hiking group. And the cherry on top was a suspicious accident that points to murder. Well that all sounds exciting on a cover blurb but the author seemed to forget two crucial ingredients. Thrills and suspense. Sure the story had its evocative moments but in the long run it was all just too 'cruisy' with unnecessary distractions.
Luckily the Pisco Sour worked on all levels - 2 1/2 oz. Chilean Pisco, 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice, 1 egg white, 1/2 oz. simple syrup, 4 dashes Angostura bitters.
If I inadvertently forgot the Chilean Pisco and used an out-of date egg I would sadly be left with a glass of 'Fall Down Dead'.
Luckily the Pisco Sour worked on all levels - 2 1/2 oz. Chilean Pisco, 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice, 1 egg white, 1/2 oz. simple syrup, 4 dashes Angostura bitters.
If I inadvertently forgot the Chilean Pisco and used an out-of date egg I would sadly be left with a glass of 'Fall Down Dead'.
November 25, 2018
Is Booth ever going to have Fry and Cooper work together again? Is the only reason he keeps inserting Fry into the action is because he started the series with them as a duo and can't stop?
Beyond that, the mystery is relatively interesting. Again, lots of history of the place (in this case, Kinder Scout and the Mass Tresspass) and scenery, plus murder. The clues are there, if you know which ones to pay attention to - I was pretty sure I'd figured it out, but was surprised by the motive despite having read the clues earlier. There are also some lines of inquiry that could have been taken a step further, but clearly weren't going to go anywhere. That's all the Cooper stuff. Fry? Appears in the beginning as part of another investigation (never completely solved) and then goes off into a separate story that only incredibly tangentially intersects with the main story. Sigh.
Beyond that, the mystery is relatively interesting. Again, lots of history of the place (in this case, Kinder Scout and the Mass Tresspass) and scenery, plus murder. The clues are there, if you know which ones to pay attention to - I was pretty sure I'd figured it out, but was surprised by the motive despite having read the clues earlier. There are also some lines of inquiry that could have been taken a step further, but clearly weren't going to go anywhere. That's all the Cooper stuff. Fry? Appears in the beginning as part of another investigation (never completely solved) and then goes off into a separate story that only incredibly tangentially intersects with the main story. Sigh.
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