Talion

DI Munro & DS West #6

by Pete Brassett

A young boy finds a body on a deserted Scottish beach. DS West searches for absconded DI Munro to help track down the killer.

Left to her own devices Detective Sergeant Charlie West struggles with the responsibility of a full-blown murder investigation when a man is pushed off a cliff.

Veteran crime-solver Detective Inspector Munro has disappeared having blown up his own house to remove a nemesis from a line of inquiry. Not ready to have her apron strings severed so soon, West eventually finds Munro who reluctantly agrees to shed light on the Ayrshire detectives' most challenging case yet.

Once the police have discovered the identity of the dead man, and established his demise was definitely the result of foul play, the race is on to hunt down the murderer.

Given the victim's links to a local drug ring there is no shortage of suspects, yet few of them are willing to share their knowledge with the police. Can they work out why the man was killed? Will the murderer strike again? The detectives must act quickly before the case goes cold.

TALION is the sixth book to feature these detectives. In order of publication, the full list

1. SHE
2. AVARICE
3. ENMITY
4. DUPLICITY
5. TERMINUS
6. TALION
7. PERDITION
8. RANCOUR
9. PENITENT
10. TURPITUDE
11. HUBRIS
12. PENURY
13. RUSE

All of these books have been bestsellers in their genres, and are available FREE with Kindle Unlimited and in paperback.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Ebooks, Detective, Procedural, Thriller

211 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 17, 2018

About the author

Pete Brassett is the author of the best-selling series of detective novels based in and around his native Scotland featuring James Munro and Charlie West.

Following the publication of his debut novel, 'Clam Chowder at Lafayette and Spring', Pete ventured into the world of crime fiction tackling issues like PTSD, religious scandal, and manic depression with the novels 'Kiss the Girls', 'Prayer for the Dying' and 'The Girl From Kilkenny', before moving onto subject matter a little closer to home.

The forging of the Munro and West relationship begins with a fractious encounter in east London where a dissolute West, struggling with personal problems and misogynistic colleagues, is mentored by Munro who, recognising her potential, hoodwinks her into joining him back in Scotland where she flourishes as a first-class, yet ultimately flawed, detective.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good to catch up with this Scot team with the added treat of a visit to Islay. After explosion of DI Munro's house and his disappearance it was looking glum for DS West until a clue to Munro's location was solved. His guidance is required for solution to circumstances of dead body found on beach beneath a castle overlook.
Interesting characters and action. After catching up with this series I realized I never read the first one of the series, so I a going to correct that now. Perfect for a train ride back to the burbs from my downtown perch.

[Nancy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are well written with tongue in cheek humour throughout while solving murders with nearly retired DI Munro and DS West. Recommend to all murder mystery enthusiast.

[Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

A body is found on the beach in Scotland, and DS West is in charge. She and her team learn that the victim was a small time crook with an unsavory past. Who would push him off a cliff? One of his former partners in crime? The woman he abandoned? Or perhaps someone with an entirely different motive? I had not read the first 5 in the series which might have been helpful, but I was able to read it as a stand alone.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

D.I. James Munro after blowing up his kitchen to remove a criminal is still missing. D.S. Charlotte West is now in charge of a case. A young lad, Cam Brodie, with his mother, has discovered a body on a beach. West decides she needs to find Munro first to help with the case.
An other enjoyable crime story with its cast of likeable characters.

[Tony da Napoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading the series. I would not recommend buying these unless you are reading in order. They are relatively short, easy reads (except for Scot slang) with good cast of characters and decent crimes and solutions. If you read the previous one(s) and enjoyed it (them), you should enjoy this as well....

[R.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story, glad there is a list of characters at the end. The author almost writes as if he is secretly smirking. The body at the base of the cliff is a great beginning.

[Janet Crabbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

Lovely use of description, fast paced story, strong characters but not all run of the mill bad guys. Well worth a read and I will be looking out for more from this Author.

[Jay Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent police procedural that takes place in a different culture. Although one element stretched my acceptance, the mystery was handled very well. The characters were different and interesting, and the style of writing provided just the right level of detail. I considered it a great book, and I was sorry to hear the author is no longer writing.

[Ann Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced!

Enjoyable read. Minor is intelligent and entertaining. The cast of characters is diverse and entertaining. Keep them coming. I am a fan. Ann

[Nancy]

A young boy finds a body on a deserted Scottish beach. DS West searches for absconded DI Munro to help track down the killer.

Left to her own devices Detective Sergeant Charlie West struggles with the responsibility of a full-blown murder investigation when a man is pushed off a cliff.

Veteran crime-solver Detective Inspector Munro has disappeared having blown up his own house to remove a nemesis from a line of inquiry.

Not ready to have her apron strings severed so soon, West eventually finds Munro who reluctantly agrees to shed light on the Ayrshire detectives' most challenging case yet.

Once the police have discovered the identity of the dead man, and established his demise was definitely the result of foul play, the race is on to hunt down the murderer.

Given the victim's links to a local drug ring there is no shortage of suspects, yet few of them are willing to share their knowledge with the police.

Can they work out why the man was killed? Will the murderer strike again? The detectives must act quickly before the case goes cold.

TALION is the sixth book to feature these detectives.

Good!!

[Sid Stark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book without knowing anything about the series, so I was prepared for anything when I dove into it. Except maybe that it would be funny. Which, it turns out, it was.

"Talion" is #6 in the series, so if you jump into it here, there will be a lot of back story that you won't have, but that's okay, I was still able to follow along with the main story itself just fine.

It's one of those quick-reading, fast-moving mysteries, with not a lot of time given to character building or the kind of pauses that some authors excel at, the ones that give you a breather while allowing the tension to build. But if you like your action coming on thick and fast, this kind of book will probably appeal to you.

The best thing about it, though, is the aforementioned humor, especially in the chapter opening paragraphs. Each chapter begins with a meandering, complex sentence that *does* provide a brief moment of rest and tension building, while also showcasing the author's talent at unexpected reversals and wry turns of phrase. Overall, a quirky, cleverly written mystery.

[Bryan Higgs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this on a low-cost Kindle offer, and thought I'd try it. It wasn't bad. It was indeed set in Scotland, but no way was it a 'Scandinavian Noir Murder Mystery'; that must have been someone's idea of a marketing ploy.

The characters clearly had a history from the earlier novels in the series. They were relatively entertaining, with relatively good, if not deep, dialog. The plot was not too bad. It kept me interested, but I somehow felt that it could have been more. The pace of the book was pretty fast, and there wasn't much opportunity to develop other subplots or delve into other characters' lives. Shortly after reading this, I read the latest Maisie Dobbs book The American Agent, which was an interesting contrast: the pace was quite a bit slower, the characters more fleshed out (albeit over the many novels in the Maisie Dobbs series). I preferred the Maisie Dobbs books.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

211 pages

5 stars

A body is found on the beach. DC’s Dougal and Duncan respond to the call. A young mother and her eleven-year old son found the body. The boy is an entomologist in the making.

Meanwhile, DS Charlie is obsessing about DI Jim Munro who has gone missing since the explosion at his house. Dougal is able to decrypt the last text that Jim sent to Charlie, and they’re off to find him.

This is an exciting, action-packed light hearted adventure. The search for the man’s killer - for it is murder - is on.

I love the way this team gets along. DI Jim drives the team with his canny insights and unique sense of humor. Dougal has amazing computer skills. If he could only find a good woman. Charlie is always hungry, but somehow manages to stay slim. Duncan is the jack of all trades. He is very attractive to women, much to Dougal’s chagrin. They work long hours when they have a case on.

I love this series. On to the next in this series!

[Garth Mailman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the North of Scotland the characters here speak the Queen’s English hence they wear Wellingtons, weigh in stones and their motors have boots and are repaired with spanners. Somehow the dialogue feels somewhat stilted. An eleven-year-old who is not off-put by finding a dead body on a beach with its eyes pecked out by crows?

The chain of command within the detective service can be a challenge what with DS, DI, DC. If you’ve read Ian Rankin then you’ll have a leg up. On this side of the pond one would not credit tea for breakfast. The office kettle sees a lot of use and low man on the totem pole keeps the biscuit tin full.

[barbara jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. I didn't know any of the characters in the story. I think it might have been more interesting had I of read prior books in this series.

It was interesting to see how other police officers go about their day in relation to solving a murder. But without prior knowledge of this group, it was a bit difficult to sort out what was happening. Next time I need to start at book one. I am sure it would have been the best way to sort out this problem. It then would of made the story more interesting for me.

[Patricia K. Epp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always thinking he is going to retire, Munro is too curious to let go

This one was a surprise as I was sure who the killer was . as an American reader, its also fun to find out the ways of British policing. The foods are different, the cars are unknown and the clothing has weird names. As a fan of Shetland, we love the Scottish mysteries and can't wait for the new shows. Going straight to the next book.

[Kerry Swinnerton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Munro, West, and the boys. Enjoy the “human-ness” of the characters and Pete Brassett manages to engage the reader not only with the characters, but also with his interesting story lines.
Am at a bit of a loss as to why it is described as a “Scandinavian noir” but that is obviously something I am missing completely.
Looking forward to reading the next instalment now, and hope that Mr Brassett decides to keep Jimbo working for a good while yet!

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This was an OK book, characters were mostly a series of formulated personalities. Some of the lines were amusing, like:

“a toff whose understanding of the word “fidelity” was restricted to the sound quality of his stereo system”
Or
“feel as queasy as an agoraphobic stranded in the Australian outback”

But overall it was a bit too cutesy for me. A shame since this is one in a significant series that could have been entertaining.

[Lilly Hi Way · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Mystery

Book 6 of the Munro & West mystery series begins with the question of what happened to Munro after his house exploded in Book 6. Then Dougal figures out the cryptic message Munro left West shortly before the explosion. From there we have West recruiting Munro to assist with a suspicious death. I enjoyed this one and am moving on to Book 7 right away. I am a big fan of these mysteries.

[Mary E SMYTH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewing Peter Brasssett's Munroe and West series ,gives me a problem .
There are only a few ways to say , I love this series. Set in my home county, with great plots , a very likeable team of detectives a good seasoning with humour..., what us not to love? Especially as Brassett does not need to resort to gratuitous sex , cursing , violence or super men to carry his stories.
More power to your elbow Peter.

[Betty Torma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good enjoyable book with an unsurprising surprising ending. We'll worth a read

I really enjoyed this book. It was a very good who did it with many possible killers
Even at the last chapter new reasons for the murder came to light. I suggest if you like Agatha Christie and Rex stoudt, you should try this book. I will definitely read more of this series.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m completely hooked on the Munro and West series! The settings, the language, the typically Scottish Munro and the typically English West are delightful .... and the mysteries are always complicated enough to hold out to the end of each story. The relationship between DS West and her mentor DI Munro is charming as well.

So enjoying the series!

[Joyce Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a fan

I was expecting the writing to be betterconsidering the number of books in the series. The author seems to like glib comments in odd places and overkill on metaphors. I had trouble keeping track of characters only to find a list at the end -- good for print copies not ebooks. My first book by this author and my last.

[Robin Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dark web of deceit

As a reader I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters were well described that the reader gained an insight into the very nature of the person. Loved the language and Munro, you was exceptional. Always the thinker who sorts through the evidence, untangling the knots. Clever

[Keith Withers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing as usual

For those who thought DI Munro was a thing of the past will be pleased to find him safe and sound and still contemplating retirement. A thrilling DI Munro novel where the 'old dog' teaches his 'young pup', Charlie West she needs a bit more training and thought before action. A must read for any enthusiast of detective thrillers

[Michelle Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

One person was called Joe, one Joey, one Duncan and on Donald. Very confusing.. Inspector Munroe is full of bon mots and wisdoms, and quite superior, West is dumb/bright never gets the right answer except when prided by Monroe. It is funny and complicated and the. It is just too much. No more of that crew.

[Barry Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

My first encounter with this author and I could not put it down. The book starts with with a body found in the beach and also trying to locate the whereabouts of their own missing DI Munro. He has sent a cryptic text message to DS West which nobody seems to be able to understand until she passes it to one of her team.

[Bette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young child finds a body on the beach, but the body came from the cliffs above. Another murder mystery for DI Munro and DS West and their small team from Ayr to solve. Lots of twists and turns. The team of detectives that DI Munro and DS West are developing is growing in their strengths and teamwork.

[KarenFamily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, needs an editor

I've read the other of these and they're always good.
But they need an editor. They are mediocre without one and would be very good with one. One of those authors whose stories are good enough to deserve editing.

[Marie Shirley Griffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather odd

I truly enjoyed book\series , but it's hard to follow if you don't pay attention to the names of the main characters, and their relationships.

And that's before you get to the mystery, which is just as tricky.