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Scott & Bailey #2
Bleed Like Me
The Journey's Inn, Lark's Estate, Manchester. Three bodies have been found, stabbed to death in their beds. The husband and father of two of the victims has fled. The police are in a race against time to find him - especially when they discover his two young sons are also missing... Manchester Metropolitan police station. Having survived a near-fatal attack, DC Janet Scott is quietly falling apart. And her colleague DC Rachel Bailey is reeling from a love affair gone bad. Finding the desperate man is their top priority. But none of them know what he intends to do next, or what they will have to do to stop him...
318 pages, Hardcover
First published March 14, 2013
About the author
Cath Staincliffe
52 books325 followersCath Staincliffe is a best-selling, award-winning novelist, radio playwright and the creator of ITV's hit series, Blue Murder, starring Caroline Quentin as DCI Janine Lewis. Cath's books have been short-listed for the British Crime Writers Association best first novel award, for the Dagger in the Library and selected as Le Masque de l'Année. In 2012 Cath won the CWA Short Story Dagger for Laptop, sharing the prize with Margaret Murphy with her story The Message. Cath was shortlisted again with Night Nurse in 2014. Cath's Sal Kilkenny private eye series features a single-parent sleuth working the mean streets of Manchester. Trio, a stand-alone novel moved away from crime to explore adoption and growing up in the 1960s, inspired by Cath's own experience. Letters To My Daughter's Killer was selected for Specsavers Crime Thriller Book Club in 2014 and featured on ITV3s Crime Thriller Club. Cath also writes the Scott & Bailey novels based on the popular UK TV series. Cath's latest stand alone book, The Girl in the Green Dress, was inspired by her experience as the parent of a transgender child. It tells the story of a transphobic hate crime and asks the question: how far would you go to protect your child? Cath is one of the founding members of Murder Squad - a group of Northern crime writers who give readings, talks and signings around the country. Cath was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, UK and now lives in Manchester, Lancashire with her family. You can follow her on Twitter, @CathStaincliffe, which she does when she should be busy writing!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 10, 2016
Another good installment in the Scott & Bailey crime series. I'm a fan of the TV show so find these easy to read as I can picture each character exactly as they are on the screen and I have to say Cath writes them very well.
This time Scott & Bailey and the team are hunting a family man on the run with his two sons after murdering other members of his family. A massive manhunt is underway with the two boys safety in mind.
I didn't find this one quite as exciting as the first novel in the series but it's still a cracking good read. Again, the mix of the inside lives of the main characters is intertwined with their work and police life, it's blended really well.
The ending had me turning the pages a bit faster and I was right there with them as the outcomes unravelled. I have not gone wrong with any of Cath Staincliffe's novels as yet, they've all been excellent reads.
This time Scott & Bailey and the team are hunting a family man on the run with his two sons after murdering other members of his family. A massive manhunt is underway with the two boys safety in mind.
I didn't find this one quite as exciting as the first novel in the series but it's still a cracking good read. Again, the mix of the inside lives of the main characters is intertwined with their work and police life, it's blended really well.
The ending had me turning the pages a bit faster and I was right there with them as the outcomes unravelled. I have not gone wrong with any of Cath Staincliffe's novels as yet, they've all been excellent reads.
July 29, 2020
This is the first book in this series that I am reading. It was a very good read. We hardly ever get a police procedural with all the main characters being women. Though I kept muddling up the two detectives in my mind, probably because I am reading from the middle of the series, probably because no physical description is given to set them apart, I eventually managed to separate them through their different backgrounds, family and character. The story is well paced, the tension is maintained till the end. Since we know right from the beginning who the murderer is, it was the procedures, the personal problems of the detectives, how exactly would it end was what kept the story going. And it did go very well. I am eager to read some more from this series.
March 6, 2013
I am a recent convert to the televised version of ‘Scott & Bailey’, a Manchester based police series (I could easily watch the brilliant Lesley Sharp act out her shopping lists), and having read the first novelisation in the series ‘Dead To Me’ a prequel to the said series, I was keen to pick up Cath Staincliffe’s second outing for the feisty female protagonists of the Major Incident Team.
Overall, the plot is a little pedestrian, but this can be seen as merely replicating the ordered and, at times, tedious detail of a real life police investigation, and the boxes that need to be ticked in terms of procedure. However, what the book lacks in terms of plot, Staincliffe more than makes up for in her rich and brilliantly drawn characters, that bring a breath of fresh air to the quite linear aspects of the central investigation and engage the reader’s attention. Her holy trinity of DC Janet Scott, DC Rachel Bailey and their boss DCI Gill Murray aka ‘Godzilla’ light up the whole affair with not only their professional relationship, and work-based machinations, but the emotional complexities of their lives away from the job.
DC Janet Scott, who is still recovering from the physical and emotional effects of a stabbing, is a woman juggling many balls, so to speak, not only dealing with the suffocating dullness of her marriage to dependable and boring Ade, fanning the flames of her dalliance with one of her male colleagues, but also being intuitive to the demands of her children, her elderly mother and her irascible work partner Rachel. How she gets through the day is an utter mystery to me with the weight of expectation placed on her both professionally and personally, but she does and she is bloody good at her job! In a similar vein, Janet’s boss DCI Gill Murray also labours under the same expectations with the kudos of her position as the female boss of the high profile Major Incident Team, and an unsettled home life as a long standing single parent starting to feel the apron strings stretching away, with her relationship with her son changing direction. I think Murray’s character is my favourite with her acid-tongued approach and witty asides which humanise her outside of her professional boundaries, but strengthen the opinion of those who would dare to challenge her as she is a wonderfully no-nonsense woman who is not to be trifled with. Although I am largely irritated by DC Rachel Bailey, I think that is the point of her character, and reflected in the glow of Murray, we can see her likeness to the boss, but equally that she does not quite have the right fibre or essential maturity to achieve all that she could yet. I suppose that the fact that I can’t stand her proves how well Staincliffe writes her to provoke a reaction in the reader!
Overall, this was an engaging enough read, and if you are a fan of Scott & Bailey, either from the first book ‘Dead To Me’ or through the TV adaptations you will enjoy this new outing for the characters. Throughout the whole book, Staincliffe’s dialogue is fluid and captures the nuances of the relationships between the central characters through her well placed use of humour. This, and the razor sharp characterisation rescue the book for me, and I would certainly recommend it for these reasons.
Overall, the plot is a little pedestrian, but this can be seen as merely replicating the ordered and, at times, tedious detail of a real life police investigation, and the boxes that need to be ticked in terms of procedure. However, what the book lacks in terms of plot, Staincliffe more than makes up for in her rich and brilliantly drawn characters, that bring a breath of fresh air to the quite linear aspects of the central investigation and engage the reader’s attention. Her holy trinity of DC Janet Scott, DC Rachel Bailey and their boss DCI Gill Murray aka ‘Godzilla’ light up the whole affair with not only their professional relationship, and work-based machinations, but the emotional complexities of their lives away from the job.
DC Janet Scott, who is still recovering from the physical and emotional effects of a stabbing, is a woman juggling many balls, so to speak, not only dealing with the suffocating dullness of her marriage to dependable and boring Ade, fanning the flames of her dalliance with one of her male colleagues, but also being intuitive to the demands of her children, her elderly mother and her irascible work partner Rachel. How she gets through the day is an utter mystery to me with the weight of expectation placed on her both professionally and personally, but she does and she is bloody good at her job! In a similar vein, Janet’s boss DCI Gill Murray also labours under the same expectations with the kudos of her position as the female boss of the high profile Major Incident Team, and an unsettled home life as a long standing single parent starting to feel the apron strings stretching away, with her relationship with her son changing direction. I think Murray’s character is my favourite with her acid-tongued approach and witty asides which humanise her outside of her professional boundaries, but strengthen the opinion of those who would dare to challenge her as she is a wonderfully no-nonsense woman who is not to be trifled with. Although I am largely irritated by DC Rachel Bailey, I think that is the point of her character, and reflected in the glow of Murray, we can see her likeness to the boss, but equally that she does not quite have the right fibre or essential maturity to achieve all that she could yet. I suppose that the fact that I can’t stand her proves how well Staincliffe writes her to provoke a reaction in the reader!
Overall, this was an engaging enough read, and if you are a fan of Scott & Bailey, either from the first book ‘Dead To Me’ or through the TV adaptations you will enjoy this new outing for the characters. Throughout the whole book, Staincliffe’s dialogue is fluid and captures the nuances of the relationships between the central characters through her well placed use of humour. This, and the razor sharp characterisation rescue the book for me, and I would certainly recommend it for these reasons.
June 28, 2013
Feels like a crime story by numbers, the characters come across as fairly flat. The characters who are supposed to be best friends don't seem that close. Bailey comes across as cold, secretive and judgemental. Do wonder how long this version of Bailey would last in the real world, after all our police don't tend to carry guns.
Scott is a bit of a dissapointment as she comes across as miserable, always thought she was the stronger of the two, yes she'd been attacked and nearly died. A whole chunk of the story missing from book 1 to book 2, unless you've seen the series then you'd be left wondering who Geoff was and what attack.
Scott is a bit of a dissapointment as she comes across as miserable, always thought she was the stronger of the two, yes she'd been attacked and nearly died. A whole chunk of the story missing from book 1 to book 2, unless you've seen the series then you'd be left wondering who Geoff was and what attack.
December 15, 2017
Huge fan of Scott and bailey series and thoroughly enjoyed this. Cracking read, true to life characters x
March 26, 2022
When the bodies of a man, woman, and child are discovered lying in pools of blood, in an inn on the Larks estate, DCI Gill Murray from Manchester Metropolitan Police is called in to investigate.
The bodies were discovered shortly after a wagon driver from their local brewery knocked on the owner’s door. When no one answered the door he called his boss who assumed the owner of the pub, Owen Cottam had taken off. The bodies were those of Owen’s wife, his daughter, and his brother-in-law. Owen’s little sons are missing presumably taken by their father.
With their suspect missing along with the two children, DCI Gill Murray and her team are in a race against time to locate the missing kids before more bodies turn up. I like the dynamic between the police officers. Interesting police procedural. Definitely recommend
The bodies were discovered shortly after a wagon driver from their local brewery knocked on the owner’s door. When no one answered the door he called his boss who assumed the owner of the pub, Owen Cottam had taken off. The bodies were those of Owen’s wife, his daughter, and his brother-in-law. Owen’s little sons are missing presumably taken by their father.
With their suspect missing along with the two children, DCI Gill Murray and her team are in a race against time to locate the missing kids before more bodies turn up. I like the dynamic between the police officers. Interesting police procedural. Definitely recommend
May 31, 2013
Gritty Scott & Bailey manhunt. Personal lives intertwine with race to catch killer, lives at stake...
Keeps you on edge throughout in race against time thriller. Thanks to Cath for the chance to read this. I'd never watched the tv programme, but especially enjoyed this crime drama after meeting the author. I've started watching the tv programme now, but prefer the book!
Keeps you on edge throughout in race against time thriller. Thanks to Cath for the chance to read this. I'd never watched the tv programme, but especially enjoyed this crime drama after meeting the author. I've started watching the tv programme now, but prefer the book!
October 9, 2020
If I had known there was a series of police procedural novels out there based on the Scott and Bailey UK TV series, I would have sought it out a long time ago. But I picked up the first book in the series (Dead to Me) in a library and became interested in it before I saw the connection to the show.
What I like about these stories - both in the show and the books - is that the police work seems realistic. It illustrates the various ways cases are solved: the endless attention to detail and researching various avenues of evidence or interview information, dumb luck, or even old fashioned deduction or intuition on the part of the detectives. And the cases are solved as a team. It isn't always Rachel or Janet whose efforts or ideas advance the cases - sometimes it is Gill and - to a lesser extent in the books - one of the lesser team member characters who produce a key thought or piece of evidence.
On a more personal note, the three main characters' lives are also kept interesting and dramatic. Rachel with her impetuous actions and somewhat blurry - at times - moral code; Janet's tumultuous marriage and the tough decisions it requires; and Gill trying to balance her career with her love life and her son's needs. The stories do not usually fall into easy stereotypes. For example, Gill's husband left her for a younger woman, but when Gill has a relationship, the ex doesn't come across with fists blazing like so many other shows have it - his reaction is more creative and interesting.
Okay, that is why the show and the stories are so good, but what about Cath Staincliffe's contribution with these books? It must be a challenge to write books to accompany a television series. These are not designed to copy what ran in the show like some books are. There are new cases and new interactions between the characters. But still Cath needs to refer to some of the major events from the series to fit the books in with the timeline. She handles this feat with subtle finesse. Another challenge is writing the narrative close to the thoughts of the main characters. On the shows you you only hear what they say - in books you hear all of their thoughts. Cath stays true to the characters and creates more depth for them through their innermost thoughts and reactions.
As for the main storyline itself, it follows a familiar crime (both in real life and fiction) where a husband/father decides that life is not worth living, but who doesn't want to allow his family to live on after him. After all, they are merely extensions of himself, right? There are no unrealistic, out-of-nowhere plot twists like you find in many thrillers. Still, the plot leaves it open to where the investigation might lead and provides enough originality to make it all seem believable even as it takes a road less traveled.
It did feel like we didn't see quite enough of the other members of Gill's team besides Rachel and Janet, but I can also understand that involving them all more might have had readers unfamiliar with the show scratching their heads wondering who is who. .And as a writer who likes to include a lot of humor in my novels, I appreciate the bits of wit and humor that show up here.
So in conclusion, I think that if you like police procedural books, or if you are tired of all those alike-in-many-ways thrillers, you should give this series of books a try. And if they lead you to the TV series, so much the better.. Meanwhile, I need to move on to the third book in the series. And then I can try her standalone books as well.
What I like about these stories - both in the show and the books - is that the police work seems realistic. It illustrates the various ways cases are solved: the endless attention to detail and researching various avenues of evidence or interview information, dumb luck, or even old fashioned deduction or intuition on the part of the detectives. And the cases are solved as a team. It isn't always Rachel or Janet whose efforts or ideas advance the cases - sometimes it is Gill and - to a lesser extent in the books - one of the lesser team member characters who produce a key thought or piece of evidence.
On a more personal note, the three main characters' lives are also kept interesting and dramatic. Rachel with her impetuous actions and somewhat blurry - at times - moral code; Janet's tumultuous marriage and the tough decisions it requires; and Gill trying to balance her career with her love life and her son's needs. The stories do not usually fall into easy stereotypes. For example, Gill's husband left her for a younger woman, but when Gill has a relationship, the ex doesn't come across with fists blazing like so many other shows have it - his reaction is more creative and interesting.
Okay, that is why the show and the stories are so good, but what about Cath Staincliffe's contribution with these books? It must be a challenge to write books to accompany a television series. These are not designed to copy what ran in the show like some books are. There are new cases and new interactions between the characters. But still Cath needs to refer to some of the major events from the series to fit the books in with the timeline. She handles this feat with subtle finesse. Another challenge is writing the narrative close to the thoughts of the main characters. On the shows you you only hear what they say - in books you hear all of their thoughts. Cath stays true to the characters and creates more depth for them through their innermost thoughts and reactions.
As for the main storyline itself, it follows a familiar crime (both in real life and fiction) where a husband/father decides that life is not worth living, but who doesn't want to allow his family to live on after him. After all, they are merely extensions of himself, right? There are no unrealistic, out-of-nowhere plot twists like you find in many thrillers. Still, the plot leaves it open to where the investigation might lead and provides enough originality to make it all seem believable even as it takes a road less traveled.
It did feel like we didn't see quite enough of the other members of Gill's team besides Rachel and Janet, but I can also understand that involving them all more might have had readers unfamiliar with the show scratching their heads wondering who is who. .And as a writer who likes to include a lot of humor in my novels, I appreciate the bits of wit and humor that show up here.
So in conclusion, I think that if you like police procedural books, or if you are tired of all those alike-in-many-ways thrillers, you should give this series of books a try. And if they lead you to the TV series, so much the better.. Meanwhile, I need to move on to the third book in the series. And then I can try her standalone books as well.
May 25, 2020
A very quick and easy read following the characters from the ITV drama. Similar comments to the first novel: it's lovely to get that little more detail about what the characters from the television programme are thinking as you hear their inner dialogue which is too difficult to create on TV. It's a lazy read as I don't have to think about what the characters look or sound like as I already have the images in my head! The only thing that I would criticise which means I have given it a 4* rather than higher is that there is a big gap since the last novel and I would rather that they had run on. Big things have happened in both Rachel and Janet's lives which have dramatically affected them, but we only find out through the things they mention. I have watched some of the missing action as part of the television but I really feel like I am missing out not getting to read about them!
March 10, 2021
Surprisingly good escape
Cath Stainciffe is new to me, and I'm grateful for the Goodreads review and bargain that led me here. Clean writing, flawed, vivid, believable characters in a police procedural series. You need not start with book 1. I'm having trouble focusing, and it took about 15 pages, but it pulled me in and kept me reading to the end, and buying the next in the series. This is oddly like a less intellectual Louise Penny, speaking in the voices of women cops (England) at a lower end of the class system and power structure. 4 stars for melodrama (excellent TV series fodder) and the whiffs of deus ex machina, but better than a beach read.
Cath Stainciffe is new to me, and I'm grateful for the Goodreads review and bargain that led me here. Clean writing, flawed, vivid, believable characters in a police procedural series. You need not start with book 1. I'm having trouble focusing, and it took about 15 pages, but it pulled me in and kept me reading to the end, and buying the next in the series. This is oddly like a less intellectual Louise Penny, speaking in the voices of women cops (England) at a lower end of the class system and power structure. 4 stars for melodrama (excellent TV series fodder) and the whiffs of deus ex machina, but better than a beach read.
October 25, 2023
Feels a little more paint-by-numbers procedural than the first one, not least because the case is entirely a manhunt with no mystery -- but ultimately, given the sweet glimpses at Gill's relationship w/ her new man, and page space to sympathize with both Rachel's nightmares and the lingering after-effects of Janet's injury in the first season finale, I quite enjoyed myself. Still can't get over how neatly these books slot themselves into canon.
April 4, 2025
Wow. what happened?? Seemed to be a huge hunk of story missing after book 1 and the very start of this.
What assault? What wound? what drama with the lawyer boyfriend??
What the hell in writing it this way? Are we supposed to guess?
It gets 4 stars, shouldn't really but Gill, Scott save it from dreary. Good policing kept me interested.
I STILL don't like Rachel How is this woman even still a cop?
What assault? What wound? what drama with the lawyer boyfriend??
What the hell in writing it this way? Are we supposed to guess?
It gets 4 stars, shouldn't really but Gill, Scott save it from dreary. Good policing kept me interested.
I STILL don't like Rachel How is this woman even still a cop?
October 16, 2022
I was so much more invested in the case in this book than the first one. Even though it wasn’t necessarily the kind of book that was full of twists and turns, I was much more interested in it regardless. I probably preferred the character’s stories in the first one, but I was still pleasantly surprised that Staincliffe writes them very in character (for the most part). I had a great time tbh
November 10, 2017
I enjoyed the book. One of the reason I like this crime series is the fact that the cases are always realistic - unlike the elaborate and thus not very believable murder schemes you see in other police series. Plus, I love the main trio: Gill, Rachel and Janet are great characters.
November 21, 2020
This novel is based on the TV series Scott and Bailey, which I've never seen. I probably would have enjoyed it more had I seen the series, as I felt that to appreciate the book I needed more of the back stories of the characters.
January 16, 2022
3.5 stars
I didn’t realize that the books so closely follow the tv show, and that they don’t necessarily keep pace with the tv show.
I thought it was odd to mention events that took place since the first book but only occurred on the show.
I didn’t realize that the books so closely follow the tv show, and that they don’t necessarily keep pace with the tv show.
I thought it was odd to mention events that took place since the first book but only occurred on the show.
April 15, 2022
The first book in this series occurred before the TV show started, allowing Staincliffe to make up some stuff fresh. Here we are midway through the series, and the exposition mostly restates what happened on the boob tube. And, sadly--truly very sadly-- the plot has few surprises.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2017
It was very good. I could see the actors in my mind.
May 12, 2018
Scott and Bailey book series
This is a really good book to read all deserve 5 stars good from start to finish really recommend to anyone
This is a really good book to read all deserve 5 stars good from start to finish really recommend to anyone
May 14, 2018
A short, engaging audiobook from the Scott & Bailey BBC crime series. :D
July 25, 2019
Hard work I didn’t finish it
May 8, 2021
Really loving Cath Staincliffe's take on Scott & Bailey - and Murray, of course! Tempted to re-watch the show even though I've literally only just re-watched it!
July 3, 2021
Solid police procedural, does a good job of capturing the show.
August 3, 2015
Vijf dagen besproken in drieëntwintig hoofdstukken...
De eerste woorden in het boek trokken me bij mijn haren in het verhaal;
'Rachel rende. Ze rende voor haar leven. De lucht brandde in haar borst, haar voeten zwoegden over het asfalt. Alles om haar heen – winkels en voorbijgangers, straatlantaarns en hekken – liep in elkaar over, een waas van vorm en kleur.'
Ik was meteen bij de les!
'Ongewis' is een prachtig vervolg op 'Doorgeslagen'. De auteur heeft voor in het boek wat meer aandacht gegeven aan de hoofdpersonages, waardoor ze goed in beeld komen. Ook indien je het eerste deel niet gelezen hebt, kun je nu alles goed volgen. Alhoewel... Rachel Bailey is een persoon met gebruiksaanwijzing om het maar heel voorzichtig uit de drukken. Janet Scott is haar vriendin en probeert haar waar mogelijk de hand boven het hoofd te houden.
In dit boek wordt verteld wat Scott & Bailey in zes dagen tegenkomen; zowel in hun beroep als in hun privé-leven komen ze onder zware druk te staan. Niets om jaloers op te zijn, vind ik.
Dit is geen actie-thriller terwijl de spanning toch overal aanwezig is, op alle fronten. De auteur weet je te binden aan het verhaal doordat het geloofwaardig is, zowel de personages als de ontwikkelingen kloppen. Dit alles is in een mooie stijl neergezet. Vrij korte zinnen zonder moeilijke woorden en alles wordt uitgelegd, geen losse eindjes. Het leest als een sneltrein.
De redenen van de dader worden nog eens extra benadrukt in de speciale epiloog. Dit is iets wat helaas geen fictie is; het komt vaker voor in een tijd van economische crisis.
Ik heb het boek graag gelezen en las het in één dag uit.
De eerste woorden in het boek trokken me bij mijn haren in het verhaal;
'Rachel rende. Ze rende voor haar leven. De lucht brandde in haar borst, haar voeten zwoegden over het asfalt. Alles om haar heen – winkels en voorbijgangers, straatlantaarns en hekken – liep in elkaar over, een waas van vorm en kleur.'
Ik was meteen bij de les!
'Ongewis' is een prachtig vervolg op 'Doorgeslagen'. De auteur heeft voor in het boek wat meer aandacht gegeven aan de hoofdpersonages, waardoor ze goed in beeld komen. Ook indien je het eerste deel niet gelezen hebt, kun je nu alles goed volgen. Alhoewel... Rachel Bailey is een persoon met gebruiksaanwijzing om het maar heel voorzichtig uit de drukken. Janet Scott is haar vriendin en probeert haar waar mogelijk de hand boven het hoofd te houden.
In dit boek wordt verteld wat Scott & Bailey in zes dagen tegenkomen; zowel in hun beroep als in hun privé-leven komen ze onder zware druk te staan. Niets om jaloers op te zijn, vind ik.
Dit is geen actie-thriller terwijl de spanning toch overal aanwezig is, op alle fronten. De auteur weet je te binden aan het verhaal doordat het geloofwaardig is, zowel de personages als de ontwikkelingen kloppen. Dit alles is in een mooie stijl neergezet. Vrij korte zinnen zonder moeilijke woorden en alles wordt uitgelegd, geen losse eindjes. Het leest als een sneltrein.
De redenen van de dader worden nog eens extra benadrukt in de speciale epiloog. Dit is iets wat helaas geen fictie is; het komt vaker voor in een tijd van economische crisis.
Ik heb het boek graag gelezen en las het in één dag uit.
October 19, 2013
BLEED LIKE ME is based on the characters from the hit ITV series SCOTT & BAILEY.
It's a police procedural, but as well as a race-against-time premise to find the missing children and their father, it delves deeper into the stormy personal lives of the three female protagonists.
And their lives are certainly complex. Covering challenges that many will relate to - from juggling work and home life, bringing up teenagers, and the illness of a parent - to the more extreme - recovering from an attempt on your life - the three women are up against it from the outset. Artfully written, this exploration of the characters lives doesn't slow the pace, instead it adds layers of tension onto an already tense situation.
The setting is highly atmospheric, with Manchester and the surrounding area painted with a gritty realism. From getting the call, the three women work tirelessly, often a great personal cost, to try to find the killer and his two young children before it's too late. The story twists and turns towards a nail-biting conclusion, defying you to put the book down until you've read the very last page.
It's a police procedural, but as well as a race-against-time premise to find the missing children and their father, it delves deeper into the stormy personal lives of the three female protagonists.
And their lives are certainly complex. Covering challenges that many will relate to - from juggling work and home life, bringing up teenagers, and the illness of a parent - to the more extreme - recovering from an attempt on your life - the three women are up against it from the outset. Artfully written, this exploration of the characters lives doesn't slow the pace, instead it adds layers of tension onto an already tense situation.
The setting is highly atmospheric, with Manchester and the surrounding area painted with a gritty realism. From getting the call, the three women work tirelessly, often a great personal cost, to try to find the killer and his two young children before it's too late. The story twists and turns towards a nail-biting conclusion, defying you to put the book down until you've read the very last page.
August 12, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, I like the T.V. Series and Scott and Bailey are the same as ever, Janet the mature sensible one with all the pressures of family life and Rachel the more impulsive one, a bit of a loose cannon but with good intentions. Rachel's upbringing has made her quite hard but also very vulnerable and that is a difficult mixture at the best of times but even more so for a police officer. Rachel is a person who acts on instinct without thinking through properly and although she is trying to do what is right sometimes things go wrong. Janet is always there as a stabilising influence and they make a great team. This story is a heartbreaking case of a man who feels cornered by debt, and unable to see a way out sets off to 'solve' his problems with little care for the lives of his family, he is a controlling, possessive man who thinks that he owns his family and decides what their future should be as well as his own. A good and easy read.
May 4, 2013
I started reading this book just as I finished watching the second series of this show end. This book very neatly picks up where that ended.
Janet is back after many months off recovering from being attacked with a knife in her own home. She feels more resentment for the effect on her teenage daughters and family than herself.
Rachel is getting over trusting Nick after he tried to have her killed. (Janet did tell her he was no good!)
Gill has started dating but her teenage son is not sure about any of it!
But in amongst this, the team are called to a local pub where there bodies are found stabbed. The husband and his two young sons are missing.
An enjoyable easy read.
I will be looking for other books by this author.
Janet is back after many months off recovering from being attacked with a knife in her own home. She feels more resentment for the effect on her teenage daughters and family than herself.
Rachel is getting over trusting Nick after he tried to have her killed. (Janet did tell her he was no good!)
Gill has started dating but her teenage son is not sure about any of it!
But in amongst this, the team are called to a local pub where there bodies are found stabbed. The husband and his two young sons are missing.
An enjoyable easy read.
I will be looking for other books by this author.
March 24, 2015
I like the premise - two female detective constables, partnered together, one young and impetuous and one mature and more stable, with a female DCI as a supervisor. The books are much like the TV series, and the appealing characters draw the reader into the story. That being said, this one was not so much a "whodunit" as a "whydunit," since we know the identity of the killer almost from the get-go. It's intended as a look at the procedures and methods the police use in solving murders and tracking perpetrators, and is very successful from that viewpoint, but I hoped for a red herring or two. Looking forward to the third book in the series!
January 3, 2016
'Restful' is probably not the most appropriate or flattering word, but how very satisfying to read a book which starts with a crime and then proceeds in a well-described, orderly manner towards solving it, encountering no more than the normal-ish vicissitudes of Life along the way.
I was hugely impressed with the groundedness and commonsense of 'Dead to me' and this is just as enjoyable.
Looking forward to #3.
I was hugely impressed with the groundedness and commonsense of 'Dead to me' and this is just as enjoyable.
Looking forward to #3.
May 9, 2016
A chilling central plot about what happens when a man decides he has no way out -- and to take his whole family with him -- but then gets interrupted. Happening alongside that story are the usual Scott and Bailey major and not-so-major personal drama for all the regular characters. Once again, this feels very much like an episode of the series and it's very vivid in its telling too.
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