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DS Coupland #4
Absent
THE NEW DS COUPLAND NOVEL
The worst things happen in plain sight.
When he stopped a serial killer in his tracks earlier in the year he thought that would be the end of it, but for DS Kevin Coupland his nightmare has just begun.
A child’s body is discovered hidden in a bag, kicking off a major investigation for Salford Precinct’s murder squad. Soon the National Crime Agency roll into town and Coupland is under strict instructions to play nice.
He’s got enough on his plate to worry about politics. A shock discovery in his personal life is starting to take its toll, causing him to make decisions that bring him to the attention of the powers that be for all the wrong reasons.
DS Alex Moreton returns from maternity leave to find her partner deeply troubled, but with a cold case to review she’s in no position to prevent him hitting the self-destruct button.
As he hunts down the child’s killer Coupland is forced to reflect upon his own life and find an answer to the question he’s been avoiding. Is it possible to accept the things you cannot change?
A gripping warts and all police procedural which will hook fans of Angela Marsons and Ed James.
Watch out for more from D.S. CouplandABSENT is the fourth book in the DS Coupland series.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 19, 2018
130 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Emma Salisbury
27 books76 followersJoffe Books Prize 2024 Finalist. I write gritty, crime fiction that focuses on the 'why'dunnit as well as the 'who'. I worked for a housing association supporting socially excluded men and ex-offenders, which provided me with a lot of inspiration. Fans of BBC series Happy Valley should try both my Coupland and Ashcroft detective series for their unflinching realism and pace.
ONE GOOD REASON, the first in my DS Ashcroft series, published by Bloodhound Books is out now!
Born and brought up in Manchester, I moved to Scotland 25 years ago. My inspiration initially came from working for a housing association supporting ex offenders into work.
Most evenings I can be found walking the family dogs on the beach near our home in East Lothian, Scotland. You can find out more on my website www.emmasalisbury.com and I can be found on Linktr.ee/Emma Salisbury
ONE GOOD REASON, the first in my DS Ashcroft series, published by Bloodhound Books is out now!
Born and brought up in Manchester, I moved to Scotland 25 years ago. My inspiration initially came from working for a housing association supporting ex offenders into work.
Most evenings I can be found walking the family dogs on the beach near our home in East Lothian, Scotland. You can find out more on my website www.emmasalisbury.com and I can be found on Linktr.ee/Emma Salisbury
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 28, 2018
4☆ A Good Gritty Suspenseful Read
Absent is the forth book in DS Coupland series, but my first book.
I think it's worth starting from the beginning of the series, as although it was fine as a standalone. I missed out on the back stories and connections already formed between the characters.
Having said that I did really enjoy it.
DS Coupland is a good detective, he is clearly passionate about his job. However his home life is far from perfect and it often gets entwined with his work.
When Coupland and his partner DS Moreton find a childs remains in a bag in a flat.
They set out to find out who the child is, who the parents are and most importantly, what sick twisted person would kill a child and leave them to rot in a bag.
I was desperately rooting for Coupland and Moreton to catch the killer.
Absent is a Taut Crime Thriller, it is a Fantastically plotted and a perfectly paced suspenseful gritty read.
It's a gripping story that kept me guessing.
There are some sensitive issues raised and Emma handled them realistically and sensitively, but still making the desired impact on the reader.
The Characters are strong and Appealing, I liked the way Emma mixed work and home life so you really got to make a relatable connection with the characters.
If you enjoy Crime Thrillers, that have good police procedural but mixes in personal life, a good dash of twists and suspense.
Then you will enjoy Absent!
Thank you to Love Book Group Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
Absent is the forth book in DS Coupland series, but my first book.
I think it's worth starting from the beginning of the series, as although it was fine as a standalone. I missed out on the back stories and connections already formed between the characters.
Having said that I did really enjoy it.
DS Coupland is a good detective, he is clearly passionate about his job. However his home life is far from perfect and it often gets entwined with his work.
When Coupland and his partner DS Moreton find a childs remains in a bag in a flat.
They set out to find out who the child is, who the parents are and most importantly, what sick twisted person would kill a child and leave them to rot in a bag.
I was desperately rooting for Coupland and Moreton to catch the killer.
Absent is a Taut Crime Thriller, it is a Fantastically plotted and a perfectly paced suspenseful gritty read.
It's a gripping story that kept me guessing.
There are some sensitive issues raised and Emma handled them realistically and sensitively, but still making the desired impact on the reader.
The Characters are strong and Appealing, I liked the way Emma mixed work and home life so you really got to make a relatable connection with the characters.
If you enjoy Crime Thrillers, that have good police procedural but mixes in personal life, a good dash of twists and suspense.
Then you will enjoy Absent!
Thank you to Love Book Group Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
May 24, 2018
ABSENT is the fourth book in the DS Coupland series. As always, I highly recommend starting at the very beginning to find those little nuggets that make this a sensational series.
When a young child's remains are found in a gym bag, Coupland and his partner DS Alex Moreton ... just back from maternity leave .... are called to investigate. The bag and its contents are found in a closet in an apartment that has just been rented after being vacant for a month or so.
As far as they can tell, neither the other tenants or former tenants were this child's parent. So who is this child who went absent and no one has bothered to report?
When they learn the who, the why rapidly follows .. and it's a lot worse than anyone ever expected.
DS Coupland, as a character, is more than human. He's dedicated to his job and finding justice for the victims, but sometimes his private life gets in the way and he finds that he may have made a mistake or two along the way. Knowing what he does about the evil in this world, he often worries about his teenage daughter who is facing her own life decisions.
DS Moreton, a brand new parent, knows she should be home still on maternity leave, but like Coupland, is dedicated to her job and eager to get back to it. While Coupland can be a little argumentative and even rude at times, Moreton brings patience and common sense.
This is well written with credible characters. The action itself is not rapidly paced, but like a steady rain that just doesn't let up. It's a police procedural that covers investigative techniques, especially when a higher level of police walk in and take over.
My thanks to the author / Cameron Publicity & Marketing Ltd / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
May 25, 2018
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I loved this book, everything about it worked for me, that cover is stunning and the ending of the book was brilliant!
The characters were great and they really worked well together but best for me was the plot which had a lot of twists and turns and really had me guessing!
This is my first book by this author and certainly won't be my last now after this one!! I think this one is fine to read as a stand alone but personally I will be looking to get the rest of the books in the series now to fill in any blanks.
Five stars from me - a very enjoyable read-highly recommended!!
I loved this book, everything about it worked for me, that cover is stunning and the ending of the book was brilliant!
The characters were great and they really worked well together but best for me was the plot which had a lot of twists and turns and really had me guessing!
This is my first book by this author and certainly won't be my last now after this one!! I think this one is fine to read as a stand alone but personally I will be looking to get the rest of the books in the series now to fill in any blanks.
Five stars from me - a very enjoyable read-highly recommended!!
May 3, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Cameron Publicity and Marketing Ltd for an advance copy of Absent, the fourth novel to feature Salford based DS Kevin Coupland.
When the decomposing body of a child is found stuffed into a gym bag in a vacant flat Kevin and the team are called in to investigate but before they attempt to find her killer they have to identify her. When the answers come the case widens considerably and Kevin has to cede control of his case to the National Crime Agency.
I thoroughly enjoyed Absent which is an excellent police procedural with its mixture of investigation, politics and personalities. It is the first novel in the series that I have read but I'm so impressed I'll be backtracking to the previous three as I really love a good procedural. There is nothing not to like about this novel. The investigation is difficult with little to go on so the team is reduced to interviewing neighbours and checking the children on the at risk register but just as a change of approach starts to yield results the NCA sweep in to take over. The novel seems very realistic from the team's determination to get justice to their dispiritedness as the leads come to nothing and their despair when the case is taken over by a bunch of swaggering shinies.
The characterisation is great. The banter between the team members is natural, sometimes amusing and just as work place conversation often is, of the take no prisoners variety. The novel is told in the third person from Kevin Coupland's point of view. His grumpy, jaundiced view of life is frequently amusing but never dull. Trouble at home is not helping his world view so he doesn't hold back when issuing criticism so visits to the Superintendent's office happen more frequently than usual. He is, however, a very likeable character and the reader can't help but root for him through all his tribulations.
Absent is a well paced, gripping novel which held my attention from start to finish. I like the realism of both the plot and characters and the way Ms Salisbury weaves it all into a coherent whole. I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
When the decomposing body of a child is found stuffed into a gym bag in a vacant flat Kevin and the team are called in to investigate but before they attempt to find her killer they have to identify her. When the answers come the case widens considerably and Kevin has to cede control of his case to the National Crime Agency.
I thoroughly enjoyed Absent which is an excellent police procedural with its mixture of investigation, politics and personalities. It is the first novel in the series that I have read but I'm so impressed I'll be backtracking to the previous three as I really love a good procedural. There is nothing not to like about this novel. The investigation is difficult with little to go on so the team is reduced to interviewing neighbours and checking the children on the at risk register but just as a change of approach starts to yield results the NCA sweep in to take over. The novel seems very realistic from the team's determination to get justice to their dispiritedness as the leads come to nothing and their despair when the case is taken over by a bunch of swaggering shinies.
The characterisation is great. The banter between the team members is natural, sometimes amusing and just as work place conversation often is, of the take no prisoners variety. The novel is told in the third person from Kevin Coupland's point of view. His grumpy, jaundiced view of life is frequently amusing but never dull. Trouble at home is not helping his world view so he doesn't hold back when issuing criticism so visits to the Superintendent's office happen more frequently than usual. He is, however, a very likeable character and the reader can't help but root for him through all his tribulations.
Absent is a well paced, gripping novel which held my attention from start to finish. I like the realism of both the plot and characters and the way Ms Salisbury weaves it all into a coherent whole. I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
May 7, 2018
Thank you Netgalley and Cameron Publicity and Marketing for this arc.
I really enjoyed this book.....but I like nice twisty, complex stories with equally twisty, complex characters and I've always been a sucker for grumpy old men!
Absent is the 4th book in this series and while I have not read any of the previous books, I was easily able to track the various characters and their relationships with each other. I'm sure if I'd read books 1 - 3, I'd have enjoyed this read even more. While the topics/crimes covered in this this book are pretty sickening, I did not find it/them overly graphic in their presentation (and my stomach appreciates that).
I really enjoyed this book.....but I like nice twisty, complex stories with equally twisty, complex characters and I've always been a sucker for grumpy old men!
Absent is the 4th book in this series and while I have not read any of the previous books, I was easily able to track the various characters and their relationships with each other. I'm sure if I'd read books 1 - 3, I'd have enjoyed this read even more. While the topics/crimes covered in this this book are pretty sickening, I did not find it/them overly graphic in their presentation (and my stomach appreciates that).
May 19, 2018
It seems like it's been a long time since I read the last DS Coupland book but within a few pages it was like he'd never been away. For DS Alex Moreton, it must feel like she's never been away either on maternity leave as she's no sooner back than she and Coupland are investigating a gruesome discovery. A young couple moving into a flat find a sports bag left behind by a previous occupant. When they move it, they discover it contains not old sports kit but the decomposing body of a young child.
DS Coupland is the exactly the kind of dedicated detective that I hope, and am sure, is out there in the real world. A compassionate man, it's not just about solving cases for him, it's about getting justice for victims and closure for families. Despite his tough image, he does allow himself to get emotionally involved in some of the cases. I suppose it must be difficult not to, but it must also be difficult to switch off and leave the cases at the office as it were.
Coupland's homelife is not exactly going smoothly either with something happening within his family which he is finding very difficult to deal with. I'm not going to say what in case you haven't read the third book yet, as it will give something away. Suffice to say, it brings back memories of his own childhood and he wonders how he is going to be able to cope.
Coupland, for all his faults, is a fantastic central character though there is plenty of involvement for the rest of the team too in this book. I must admit a soft spot for young and eager DC Timmons, otherwise known as Krispy due to his fondness for a certain company's doughnuts!
Various themes are explored in the book, including human trafficking. It was sobering to read in the notes at the end that Europol believe that 10,000 children who entered Europe in 2015 have disappeared. Emma Salisbury has put a very human face to those who enter the country often illegally, on false promises, hoping for a better life for their families. The reality of what they face is something very different and brought vividly to life. Another thought provoking part of the book was when the team had to follow up on missing children or children on the social work radar for being at risk. There were so many and with so many different but heart-breaking stories.
Absent is a solid police procedural which has the perfect balance for me between the actual investigation, the personal lives of the detectives and the workplace interaction between the team, with tensions clear and humour absolutely necessary. It's a tense and well-paced book which I thoroughly enjoyed and I am looking forward to catching up with Coupland again in the next book.
DS Coupland is the exactly the kind of dedicated detective that I hope, and am sure, is out there in the real world. A compassionate man, it's not just about solving cases for him, it's about getting justice for victims and closure for families. Despite his tough image, he does allow himself to get emotionally involved in some of the cases. I suppose it must be difficult not to, but it must also be difficult to switch off and leave the cases at the office as it were.
Coupland's homelife is not exactly going smoothly either with something happening within his family which he is finding very difficult to deal with. I'm not going to say what in case you haven't read the third book yet, as it will give something away. Suffice to say, it brings back memories of his own childhood and he wonders how he is going to be able to cope.
Coupland, for all his faults, is a fantastic central character though there is plenty of involvement for the rest of the team too in this book. I must admit a soft spot for young and eager DC Timmons, otherwise known as Krispy due to his fondness for a certain company's doughnuts!
Various themes are explored in the book, including human trafficking. It was sobering to read in the notes at the end that Europol believe that 10,000 children who entered Europe in 2015 have disappeared. Emma Salisbury has put a very human face to those who enter the country often illegally, on false promises, hoping for a better life for their families. The reality of what they face is something very different and brought vividly to life. Another thought provoking part of the book was when the team had to follow up on missing children or children on the social work radar for being at risk. There were so many and with so many different but heart-breaking stories.
Absent is a solid police procedural which has the perfect balance for me between the actual investigation, the personal lives of the detectives and the workplace interaction between the team, with tensions clear and humour absolutely necessary. It's a tense and well-paced book which I thoroughly enjoyed and I am looking forward to catching up with Coupland again in the next book.
May 25, 2018
Absent is the fourth in the series but first for me.So tense so chilling multi layered .Could not put down worked as a stand alone but I will be reading the thre I missed.Thanks #netgalley.&Cameron publicity for advance reader Galley.
June 23, 2019
I can't wait for number 5!
April 25, 2021
This book has some good parts, but it also has melodrama galore. Frankly, I do not read mysteries to learn all about the ups-and-down lives of the detectives, and this book has plenty of that. Judging by references made, all the books have too much of that so I'm not likely to read anymore.
April 24, 2021
Excellent. Well written, good tempo and just enough of the home lives and smartass humor to lighten things up.
Excellent!
Very well written, with an intriguing plot and just enough about all of the recurring characters to let us know they're real people. The character traits of the protagonist-grumpy, dedicated, always on the edge of trouble with the brass-are over used, but the guy is believable. Interesting subplot with him and his family. The book is sold as a procedural, and that's what it is, replete with detail and dead ends. Some folks might find that a negative, but...And, if you're a Yank with little experience tromping through cases with British coppers, you're gonna be spending a lot of time with your Urban Dictionary translating the slang. However, any time you spend here will be worth it.
Excellent!
Very well written, with an intriguing plot and just enough about all of the recurring characters to let us know they're real people. The character traits of the protagonist-grumpy, dedicated, always on the edge of trouble with the brass-are over used, but the guy is believable. Interesting subplot with him and his family. The book is sold as a procedural, and that's what it is, replete with detail and dead ends. Some folks might find that a negative, but...And, if you're a Yank with little experience tromping through cases with British coppers, you're gonna be spending a lot of time with your Urban Dictionary translating the slang. However, any time you spend here will be worth it.
May 24, 2018
A well balanced plot – the investigation, the characters, their lives – and it is well paced. The subject matter is quite harrowing but is told with a deft hand. Whilst gritty it is not gory. There is empathy, knowledge and skill in it’s telling. This is a terrific police procedural and well worth a read.
April 15, 2019
TOTALLY AMAZING READ
It took me longer this time cause life for in the way, but Copland didn't disappoint. Fantastic story, gritty as always with plenty of twists. This detective keeps you turning the page to find out more. Proud to be a friend of this wonderful author. Ready for number 5
It took me longer this time cause life for in the way, but Copland didn't disappoint. Fantastic story, gritty as always with plenty of twists. This detective keeps you turning the page to find out more. Proud to be a friend of this wonderful author. Ready for number 5
January 16, 2020
Big fan of this series, having previously worked in Salford for twenty years, but mostly because the writing is great and the storyline is gripping. Like all good crime novels, the life of the main police detective is investigated by the author. In this book, a horrific discovery in a flat leads Coupland's team to find out why a child could be absent - why would nobody report her missing? Coupland - and returning from maternity leave Moreton will stop at nothing to find out what happened - even if it's disgusting (another well-written reality bit).
July 30, 2018
A Beginning Look at Evi
The book gives the feeling of coming home to close family. But after the feeling of comfort comes the nightmare of Human Trafficking, a too real evil in our world today.
The book gives the feeling of coming home to close family. But after the feeling of comfort comes the nightmare of Human Trafficking, a too real evil in our world today.
May 9, 2019
Very conclusive ending not sure if it's the last one ever but Coupland has a great warped sense of humour although does get him into trouble !All the characters are real really good series will miss reading this series well written .
September 27, 2024
What's the worst thing about searching for a new place to live? Finding a dead body. The little child in the sack was stuffed in a cupboard. Horrible. But DS Coupland is ready to take on the powers that be to determine who the child is and why the child died and who put the child in the cupboard.
January 4, 2025
I really enjoyed the first book in this series but the author’s repetitive vocabulary becomes very tedious very quickly and I found it irritating. The story lines are engaging, but the writing is lacking.
September 3, 2025
The cruelty of greed
an enjoyable but thought provoking read with a few little twists along the way. then the sad twists at the end. shows the exploitation of people deemed not worthy by greedy people who think certain people are expendable.
an enjoyable but thought provoking read with a few little twists along the way. then the sad twists at the end. shows the exploitation of people deemed not worthy by greedy people who think certain people are expendable.
October 23, 2020
This is another great read in the Coupland series - cannot wait for the next from this self published author
July 24, 2021
I like DS Coupland - someone who says it as it is!! A good lockdown whodunit
August 8, 2021
A body found in a empty loft. Discovered by a college couple. And, possibly a dirty cop. SOLD!
October 24, 2021
I am enjoying the DS Coupland series. Usually I tire of a series after two, but this is the fourth and I can’t wait to read the next. Great story, great writing.
January 21, 2020
DC Coupland back with other cases in Salford- his private life & work
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews