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Dennis Milne #2
A Good Day to Die
When Dennis Milne--now living under an assumed identity in the Philippines--hears that his old friend and colleague Malik has been gunned down in a restaurant, he decides to go back to the violent city he once called home and bring the murderer to justice. Milne arrives in a pre-Christmas London that is cold and hostile. But he is no longer a policeman; no longer charged with keeping the peace and upholding the law. Although his old friends at the King's Cross station do not know that Milne is back in town, it soon becomes clear that his arrival has been expected by men who are after his blood. Hungry for revenge and determined to uphold his own very rough brand of justice, Milne searches for the person behind his friend's demise--and leaves a trail of death and destruction more wide-reaching than even he could have expected.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2005
74 people are currently reading
781 people want to read
About the author
Simon Kernick
73 books1,158 followersSimon Kernick (born 1966 in Slough, Berkshire) is a British thriller/crime writer now living in Oxfordshire with his wife and two daughters. He attended Gillotts School, a comprehensive in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Whilst he was a student his jobs included fruitpicker and Christmas-tree uprooter. He graduated from Brighton Polytechnic in 1991 with a degree in humanities. Kernick had a passion for crime fiction writing from a young age and produced many short stories during his time at polytechnic. After graduating Kernick joined MMT Computing in London in early 1992, where a relative was the Chairman and Managing Director. Kernick was a key member of the sales team and was very highly regarded. However, he left the company after 4 years in the hope of trying to secure a publishing deal. Despite interest from a number of publishers Kernick was unable to secure a deal, so he joined the sales force of the specialist IT and Business Consultancy Metaskil plc in Aldermaston, Berkshire in 1998 where he remained until he secured his first book deal (The Business of Dying) in September 2001. His novel Relentless was recommended on Richard & Judy's Summer book club 2007. It was the 8th best-selling paperback, and the best-selling thriller in the UK in the same year
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
February 14, 2016
Ex-DS Dennis Milne is partnered with a former informant and running a small hotel and dive shop in the Philippines. He’s hiding out after the events that occurred in the first novel, The Business of Dying. He’s asked to kill a man due on Friday’s plane from London. Having recognized the man as the killer of his former partner, DS Asif Malik, he shoots him and then decides (implausibly) to return to London where he was the subject of an intense manhunt to wreck vengeance on Les Pope, the man behind Malik’s killing, and also the man who solicited Milne to kill the man off the plane.
The trail to Malik’s killer is convoluted and has a surprising ending, at least as far as one character is concerned. Good read. The books should be read in order.
The trail to Malik’s killer is convoluted and has a surprising ending, at least as far as one character is concerned. Good read. The books should be read in order.
January 10, 2016
Suspenseful and overwhelming at times. Especially towards the end, I caught myself reading through my fingers -- as though hiding might protect me :-)
October 14, 2017
Once again Simon has written a first class thriller. I really enjoyed this second novel and novel it was.
once you start this book you keep plowing on.
Part 3??.
once you start this book you keep plowing on.
Part 3??.
November 25, 2023
Another great read from Simon Kernick. Unlike some books that take a while to get exciting, Simon hits you with drama within the first chapter, and continues it for the rest of the book!! There’s always a twist come the end when someone you weren’t expecting to be involved is at the centre of all the drama!
January 18, 2018
Our maverick ex-cop, Dennis, has relocated to the Phillipines. He's part owner of a hotel/bar, and is soon pulled back into the hitman business. His next target - a pedophile from Britain he happens to know.
His assignment pulls him back to England, where he's still a wanted man, looking for the killer of his ex partner. Many twists and turns.
His assignment pulls him back to England, where he's still a wanted man, looking for the killer of his ex partner. Many twists and turns.
December 1, 2012
The 2nd book in the Dennis Milne series by Simon Kernick.
Another great read that is full of action.
Another great read that is full of action.
March 9, 2024
I'm going to be generous and give this two stars and not one because there is a novel's structure and plot beneath this pile of amateurish garbage. Imagine taking interesting ideas and then reducing them to boring archetypes while drumming on with a constant useless commentary that evaporates tension. To add insult to injury, my copy had a preview of another book by the same author, and it was the exact same tone and language and pacing for a completely different POV character! If I ever write a book I will use this book as an example of what not to do
May 21, 2021
The second volume in the Dennis Milne trilogy sees the cop turned hitman quitting his new and almost-but-not-quite legit life in Manila when he discovers that his former partner on the force has been assassinated and the police investigation has stalled. Risking everything, Milne returns to his London stomping ground and action, mayhem and shoot outs ensue. Liam Neeson for the lead role when you get round to making the movies, eh, Hollywood?
December 10, 2025
a very good read and I injoy it very much.
May 3, 2010
RATING: 3.5
How does a man who was a policeman charged with upholding law and order become a stone-cold killer, someone he would have doggedly pursued and put away forever in the time when he was on the right side of the law? In Dennis Milne's case, his lawlessness arises out of a horrible mistake he made where he killed three innocent people. To this day, he is haunted by his actions. After that, he could no longer wear the badge proudly; he moved from London to the Philippines and is operating as a contract killer under an assumed name, "Mick Kane".
Milne isn't really fond of killing but generally can rationalize his actions because of the deviant behavior of his targets—pedophiles, psychopaths and the like. Most of his assignments come through his partner, Tomboy Darke, who answers to a solicitor in England named Les Pope. It is Tomboy who lets Dennis know that his one-time partner, a straight arrow named Asif Malik, has been gunned down in a London restaurant. Milne feels a strong need to return to the UK to avenge Malik's death. He's had a few rounds of plastic surgery, so he's not likely to be apprehended as he enters the country.
The premise of the book, Milne avenging Malik's death, was rather flimsy to me, in that he hadn't even seen Malik in over 3 years. Why would he give up a fairly nice life in order to seek justice? The way that Kernick described the Philippines made it sound like paradise. Leaving didn't seem plausible. Be that as it may, with the assistance of a female journalist, Dennis stirs up a hornet's nest in London. In addition to the Malik situation, there are several other related lines of inquiry to pursue. Upon Milne's return to London, the action picks up and the plot twists and turns, with several surprises along the way. Unfortunately, the ending of the book was over-the-top.
A GOOD DAY TO DIE is the fourth book in the Milne series. There are quite a few threads which tie back to the earlier books. The various connections in the book between characters and events were confusing and somewhat contrived.
Nonetheless, Dennis Milne is a complex and interesting character, an anti-hero who does wrong for the right reasons. Milne only kills people who deserve it. As he says: "But there are times when you need to take a shortcut to justice. Because the alternative—letting the guilty get away with crimes too sickening to contemplate—simply doesn't bear thinking about."
Don't you agree?
How does a man who was a policeman charged with upholding law and order become a stone-cold killer, someone he would have doggedly pursued and put away forever in the time when he was on the right side of the law? In Dennis Milne's case, his lawlessness arises out of a horrible mistake he made where he killed three innocent people. To this day, he is haunted by his actions. After that, he could no longer wear the badge proudly; he moved from London to the Philippines and is operating as a contract killer under an assumed name, "Mick Kane".
Milne isn't really fond of killing but generally can rationalize his actions because of the deviant behavior of his targets—pedophiles, psychopaths and the like. Most of his assignments come through his partner, Tomboy Darke, who answers to a solicitor in England named Les Pope. It is Tomboy who lets Dennis know that his one-time partner, a straight arrow named Asif Malik, has been gunned down in a London restaurant. Milne feels a strong need to return to the UK to avenge Malik's death. He's had a few rounds of plastic surgery, so he's not likely to be apprehended as he enters the country.
The premise of the book, Milne avenging Malik's death, was rather flimsy to me, in that he hadn't even seen Malik in over 3 years. Why would he give up a fairly nice life in order to seek justice? The way that Kernick described the Philippines made it sound like paradise. Leaving didn't seem plausible. Be that as it may, with the assistance of a female journalist, Dennis stirs up a hornet's nest in London. In addition to the Malik situation, there are several other related lines of inquiry to pursue. Upon Milne's return to London, the action picks up and the plot twists and turns, with several surprises along the way. Unfortunately, the ending of the book was over-the-top.
A GOOD DAY TO DIE is the fourth book in the Milne series. There are quite a few threads which tie back to the earlier books. The various connections in the book between characters and events were confusing and somewhat contrived.
Nonetheless, Dennis Milne is a complex and interesting character, an anti-hero who does wrong for the right reasons. Milne only kills people who deserve it. As he says: "But there are times when you need to take a shortcut to justice. Because the alternative—letting the guilty get away with crimes too sickening to contemplate—simply doesn't bear thinking about."
Don't you agree?
October 11, 2012
This captivating and complex suspense story brings us back to the ongoing saga of disgraced ex-police inspector Dennis Milne. We were first introduced to Dennis in “The Business of Dying” and I suggest reading this novel first in order to understand why this intrepid protagonist ended up on the run as much from the police as from criminals. In this second installment, Dennis is now surrounded by low-life hoodlums, underworld overlords and corrupt upper figures of society.
Since our last encounter with Dennis he has had plastic surgery and moved to the Philippines and is known by locals as Mick Kane. He is now earning a living in the diving-supply trade with a former informant Tomboy Drake and moonlights for extra cash by working part-time as a hit man for London criminal Les Pope, an underworld contact of Drake’s.
With Dennis’s need to survive he has crossed over to the other side where morality is left behind and the use and abuse of power has become his new M.O. In this story Dennis reluctantly agrees to carry out a local hit on a major criminal and, in doing so, he stumbles upon a clue that could help solve the recent murder of his old friend and colleague, Asif Malik, back in London. As a wanted man Dennis is put in a very tough predicament however he still decides to risk everything by returning home to find out who ordered Malik’s death and why.
I like the way M. Kernick had developed his protagonist Dennis. All through the story I found myself sympathizing and wondering whether he is good guy at heart who has been dealt a bad hand and will his luck change. The plot is action packed, fast-paced with plenty of hair raising twists. At times the action is a little far-fetched with the characters surviving impossible situations however it spices up an immensely entertaining read.
Since our last encounter with Dennis he has had plastic surgery and moved to the Philippines and is known by locals as Mick Kane. He is now earning a living in the diving-supply trade with a former informant Tomboy Drake and moonlights for extra cash by working part-time as a hit man for London criminal Les Pope, an underworld contact of Drake’s.
With Dennis’s need to survive he has crossed over to the other side where morality is left behind and the use and abuse of power has become his new M.O. In this story Dennis reluctantly agrees to carry out a local hit on a major criminal and, in doing so, he stumbles upon a clue that could help solve the recent murder of his old friend and colleague, Asif Malik, back in London. As a wanted man Dennis is put in a very tough predicament however he still decides to risk everything by returning home to find out who ordered Malik’s death and why.
I like the way M. Kernick had developed his protagonist Dennis. All through the story I found myself sympathizing and wondering whether he is good guy at heart who has been dealt a bad hand and will his luck change. The plot is action packed, fast-paced with plenty of hair raising twists. At times the action is a little far-fetched with the characters surviving impossible situations however it spices up an immensely entertaining read.
September 17, 2010
Good thriller but it felt kind of like a cheesy Hollywood movie: main character seeks revenge, survives impossible situations, meets girl etc.
November 21, 2021
Dennis Milne is an ex-cop now living in the Philippines running a hotel, since his side work as an assassin (who only kills those who deserve it, of course) means he can't go home to London. Except that's exactly what he does when his latest hit reveals before his death that he was the one behind the murder of a cop Milne considered a friend. Not a close friend, or one he had seen in three years, but enough for him to return to London to uncover the conspiracy behind his death. Of course, he exposes far more than he expects, and finds people keep trying to kill him.
I found Milne's reason for returning to London a bit flimsy. The murdered cop wasn't a best friend. He hadn't even talked to him in three years! Why put yourself in so much danger and risk exposing yourself for that sort of minor connection? The book didn't quite do a good enough job of convincing me that this was something Milne absolutely had to do, whether he was atoning for his past or not.
Other than that, this was a solid Jack Reacher knock-off. Sometimes the book doesn't feel like much more than Milne going to meet a new contact so we can get a detailed description of how Milne gets there and what the place he goes to looks like, which got a bit exasperating, but at least the story moves. (Although that chapter in the pub with the stripper didn't need to be there.) Something is always happening. There's exciting action sequences, and a complex conspiracy for Milne to untangle, and it all mostly makes sense by the time we get to the end, with a couple of plot twists that also make sense. It's an entertaining action thriller in which you can turn your brain off for a couple of hours.
I found Milne's reason for returning to London a bit flimsy. The murdered cop wasn't a best friend. He hadn't even talked to him in three years! Why put yourself in so much danger and risk exposing yourself for that sort of minor connection? The book didn't quite do a good enough job of convincing me that this was something Milne absolutely had to do, whether he was atoning for his past or not.
Other than that, this was a solid Jack Reacher knock-off. Sometimes the book doesn't feel like much more than Milne going to meet a new contact so we can get a detailed description of how Milne gets there and what the place he goes to looks like, which got a bit exasperating, but at least the story moves. (Although that chapter in the pub with the stripper didn't need to be there.) Something is always happening. There's exciting action sequences, and a complex conspiracy for Milne to untangle, and it all mostly makes sense by the time we get to the end, with a couple of plot twists that also make sense. It's an entertaining action thriller in which you can turn your brain off for a couple of hours.
December 20, 2017
I loved that Dennis Milne Character back in The Business of Dying, although he was a cop gone to the darker side. Finally, I got around to take up the second novel on Dennis in A Good Day to Die by Simon Kernick. Well, yes, Kernick again. I really enjoy his writings and have so many novels of his to catch up.
If you are looking for a top notch thriller, here it is. Dennis returning from his “retirement”, or rather exile, in the Philippines to solve the murder of a good cop and friend of his time with the London police. So he sneaked back into London and his investigation simply is a ride to hell and back. He got quite lucky, not to die in the first few chapters already, and with the help of friends, or not so friends, or not so enemies he closes into the case more and more. Cannot tell much without spoiling the reading fun, but there’s the Journalist, the Cop, and, of course, a pile of gangsters involved. The finale came of quite a surprise to me, for I suspected someone completely else behind all this scheme from somewhere in the middle of the book on.
What I like a lot with Simon are the characters he builds up. I can dig into them, understand their motives and buy the conlusions they draw in talk and action. Moreover, the action scenes depicted are really well written and the story line builds a good suspense to keep the reader at it. This book is not the right one to put aside for long. Highly recommended, if you like the genre.
If you are looking for a top notch thriller, here it is. Dennis returning from his “retirement”, or rather exile, in the Philippines to solve the murder of a good cop and friend of his time with the London police. So he sneaked back into London and his investigation simply is a ride to hell and back. He got quite lucky, not to die in the first few chapters already, and with the help of friends, or not so friends, or not so enemies he closes into the case more and more. Cannot tell much without spoiling the reading fun, but there’s the Journalist, the Cop, and, of course, a pile of gangsters involved. The finale came of quite a surprise to me, for I suspected someone completely else behind all this scheme from somewhere in the middle of the book on.
What I like a lot with Simon are the characters he builds up. I can dig into them, understand their motives and buy the conlusions they draw in talk and action. Moreover, the action scenes depicted are really well written and the story line builds a good suspense to keep the reader at it. This book is not the right one to put aside for long. Highly recommended, if you like the genre.
August 20, 2019
I did not read the first book in the series. If I had, it might have changed my opinion. As it stands though, these are my thoughts.
There is way too much going on in this story for it's relatively short length. There's no time to really build suspense, as plot points are explained almost as soon as they come up.
The story itself strongly reminds me of the first season of True Detective. The difference, however, is that TD built its suspense and mystery from the beginning, and it would have served this story well if it had done something similar. The whole conspiracy paedophile ring is only revealed in the latter half of the book, with the whole revenge thing taking the main stage for most of the story. This is a major oversight and a missed opportunity to have created some real suspense.
All in all, not a bad read, just rather disappointing. I have to give the author props for closing up all the plot points rather nicely, with no real questions going unanswered by the end.
There is way too much going on in this story for it's relatively short length. There's no time to really build suspense, as plot points are explained almost as soon as they come up.
The story itself strongly reminds me of the first season of True Detective. The difference, however, is that TD built its suspense and mystery from the beginning, and it would have served this story well if it had done something similar. The whole conspiracy paedophile ring is only revealed in the latter half of the book, with the whole revenge thing taking the main stage for most of the story. This is a major oversight and a missed opportunity to have created some real suspense.
All in all, not a bad read, just rather disappointing. I have to give the author props for closing up all the plot points rather nicely, with no real questions going unanswered by the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2020
Ex-Met police detective Dennis Milne returns to England seeking revenge for the recent brutal killing of his ex-colleague in the force. However there are lots of people who would rather he kept his distance, and as Milne begins to get closer to the truth it appears they will stop at nothing to warn him off.
It is a fast paced crime thriller, that is full of action. Classic Kernick. If you are a fan of his work, and haven’t yet read this, pick it up! I became engrossed in the story and couldn’t put it down, so finished in just 24 hours!
However for me some of the story line made uncomfortable reading, but that is just my personal feeling. It takes nothing away from a well structured story and clever execution. It does get dark and violent, and be prepared for that if you do choose to give this one a go.
It is a fast paced crime thriller, that is full of action. Classic Kernick. If you are a fan of his work, and haven’t yet read this, pick it up! I became engrossed in the story and couldn’t put it down, so finished in just 24 hours!
However for me some of the story line made uncomfortable reading, but that is just my personal feeling. It takes nothing away from a well structured story and clever execution. It does get dark and violent, and be prepared for that if you do choose to give this one a go.
April 21, 2019
An avenger for the down on their luck where the law has not helped, this man will stop at nothing to get to the bottom go through anyone and kill anyone who has escaped justice. An ex-cop who has felt the law has let him down dispenses his own kind of justice, and when he is sent on a mission to find answers of a father who daughter was taken in a horrible way. A dark roads where the worst of man kind lurk where horrible kinds of crimes have taken place but this dark avenger has his scent and nothing will stop him getting his answers where the rich step over the poor. This man knows how to do a good thrillers but with serious under tone i did enjoy this book and look forward to next outing.
September 27, 2022
Manilla to Mass Murder
I am never quite sure about Simon Kernick some books I really enjoy but not others.
I enjoyed this one, a convoluted story that former Detective Dennis Milne or "Mick Kent" gets involved in due to his belief that he failed his ex colleagues in the police. What seems like some gangland internecine war turns out to be a series of crimes and events hidden from law enforcement by a group of powerful men. Powerful men with a weird sexual appetite.
The trail leads "Kent" down many misleading paths with many misleading people at the end of them. Kent has to unravel the clues to establish the guilty and satisfy his desire for "revenge" Well written and sufficiently eerie to not want to stop reading.
I am never quite sure about Simon Kernick some books I really enjoy but not others.
I enjoyed this one, a convoluted story that former Detective Dennis Milne or "Mick Kent" gets involved in due to his belief that he failed his ex colleagues in the police. What seems like some gangland internecine war turns out to be a series of crimes and events hidden from law enforcement by a group of powerful men. Powerful men with a weird sexual appetite.
The trail leads "Kent" down many misleading paths with many misleading people at the end of them. Kent has to unravel the clues to establish the guilty and satisfy his desire for "revenge" Well written and sufficiently eerie to not want to stop reading.
December 3, 2021
This comes as a slightly disappointing sequel to Denis Milne. The bad cop turned fugitive is not as interesting as a fugitive trying to avenge his friends death.
To me the charm of the first book was that the lead character a cop was actually a contract killer. This therefore is just one of those rudimentary action thriller where the hero is chased, finds a girl somewhere down the lane and the bad guys die at the end. Yes there are a few twists and turns but nothing unpredictable.
To me this was just a regular run of the mill book trying to be Bourne, Reacher and not even being Milne
To me the charm of the first book was that the lead character a cop was actually a contract killer. This therefore is just one of those rudimentary action thriller where the hero is chased, finds a girl somewhere down the lane and the bad guys die at the end. Yes there are a few twists and turns but nothing unpredictable.
To me this was just a regular run of the mill book trying to be Bourne, Reacher and not even being Milne
October 14, 2022
The Christian idea of providence is that God can use secondary causes (good or bad) to bring about His purposes. While this is not a Christian book, I couldn't help but think of providence.
Milne is a decent man with a broken past and stumbling in the present. In the end, he simply wants to do the right thing.
Kernick did a solid job of mixing the two aspects of light and dark - even though it seemed somewhat murky at times. I'll be interested in book 3 to see where the character develops from here.
Milne is a decent man with a broken past and stumbling in the present. In the end, he simply wants to do the right thing.
Kernick did a solid job of mixing the two aspects of light and dark - even though it seemed somewhat murky at times. I'll be interested in book 3 to see where the character develops from here.
August 15, 2021
Heart racing!
Really enjoyed this book and can't decide if he is good or bad. Maybe a good man that does bad things for good reasons. It's fast paced, heart racing and impossible to guess what's coming next, never mind what the end might be.
Sometimes it seems a bit far fetched, like Arnold (I'll be back) he takes so many beatings but keeps going.
Really enjoyed this book and can't decide if he is good or bad. Maybe a good man that does bad things for good reasons. It's fast paced, heart racing and impossible to guess what's coming next, never mind what the end might be.
Sometimes it seems a bit far fetched, like Arnold (I'll be back) he takes so many beatings but keeps going.
August 19, 2021
Fast paced
Great read very fast paced.trying to solve an old murder case to solve the murder of his old partner when he was in the force, takes a lot out of Dennis Milne. Mentally and physically. Time will tell if he come through it all. With someone very close to him working in the background against him.
Great read very fast paced.trying to solve an old murder case to solve the murder of his old partner when he was in the force, takes a lot out of Dennis Milne. Mentally and physically. Time will tell if he come through it all. With someone very close to him working in the background against him.
September 23, 2022
What a follow on!
Not often you get the first in a series being a good read, then the second well surpasses it! But this one did and did some.
The story with Dennis continues taking us from the warm Philippines to cold and wet London as he goes out for revenge. No more spoilers but suffice to say that this was a neck of a good read. Hope the next follows suit.
Not often you get the first in a series being a good read, then the second well surpasses it! But this one did and did some.
The story with Dennis continues taking us from the warm Philippines to cold and wet London as he goes out for revenge. No more spoilers but suffice to say that this was a neck of a good read. Hope the next follows suit.
July 2, 2025
Enjoyed the first book in the Dennis Milne series by author. Wanted to see where second book took Dennis…..still struggling a bit with the whole ‘cop turned hitman’ thing and wonder - without giving too much away - how Dennis did not fathom out the connection sooner??? Needs to remove those rose tinted glasses!!!!
Enjoyed it….it was ok…..
Now for book 3……..
Enjoyed it….it was ok…..
Now for book 3……..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2019
darker than its predecessor
This book is considerably darker than the first book in the series. Dennis returns to London to avenge a friend’s death and involves himself in taking out a conspiracy.
This book is considerably darker than the first book in the series. Dennis returns to London to avenge a friend’s death and involves himself in taking out a conspiracy.
June 17, 2019
Fast pace thriller. Love Simon's style. The action comes across as exciting and realistic. You root for Dennis even though you know what he's done.
Very enjoyable. Can't wait to dive into the next one.
Very enjoyable. Can't wait to dive into the next one.
January 2, 2023
I felt the need to read a simple book with what I might call a typical boy story. That's the one where a downtrodden man rediscovers his inner good self as he wreaks havoc and revenge on the bad guys.
This is a compact, taught thriller with easy to read prose. No frills, just a simple story.
This is a compact, taught thriller with easy to read prose. No frills, just a simple story.
November 15, 2024
Not a typically book I would read. Written well. Other than the British English which I’m not very familiar with it’s a great story. A good read. There are some scenes that are hard to get through but it’s filled with action. Reminds me a good action movie where there are constant twists and turns
July 8, 2018
A good thriller with an excellent twist.
November 21, 2018
Engaging characters and plot, couldn't put it down! Didn't see the outcome coming either!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews