Probably Dead

Detective Brook Deelman Mystery #2

by Ed Church

Ex-London copper Mick Morley has spent nearly three decades searching for his missing daughter. Now the South African bar that was his ‘fresh start’ is being robbed at gunpoint… How’s your luck, Mick?

But what if someone else is in the bar that night? A Met detective on a career break – name of Brook Deelman. Well, then maybe that changes the odds.

Maybe that could change everything.

Ahead of Brook, a missing person case from the last days of ‘old school’ policing – an age of bloody riots, swinging batons and undercover sources. Those wishing the truth to stay buried will use the full force of the law to keep it that way… Or even just plain force.

Genres: Mystery

310 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 3, 2020

About the author

Ed Church learned about writing as a journalist, then about solving complex cases as a detective in London. After leaving the police, he began writing the dual-timeline mystery “Non-Suspicious”, introducing DC Brook Deelman. Released in 2020, it was soon followed by more titles in the same series – a place where justice can be messy and murky, but always has a long memory.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

South Africa 2017. Brook Deelman on a career break meets ex-policeman Mike Morley who is convinced that his missing daughter from thirty years ago is alive. Deelman agrees to review the case, and on returning to London starts his investigation.
Another entertaining and well-written mystery in this series with its likeable main character.

[Craig Terlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharply written and authentic
The sign of a good crime novel is not plot points, or whodunits, or even fight scenes, but rather the strength, depth, and likeability of the main character. I knew when I finished the first Brook Deelman novel that this guy had legs, Probably Dead shows that he also has a torso, stomach, head, and the whole damn thing going on—in short, I love this guy. In this second Deelman novel, we are introduced to our guy under wraps, as it were, but I knew it had to be him. What begins in South Africa, moves to the U.K. and back again, is a ripper of a story that follows Brook trying to solve a cold case, made even colder by the death of one of the main people still connected to it.

The engine that drives the narrative is not so much the putting together of the puzzle (though, it’s a damn fine one), but more the way that Deelman swims his way through interrogations and interviews, while trying to not get the crap beat out of him. Once again, we have a dual timeline, and I marvel at how the backstory becomes integral rather than filler, as it does in lesser novels. Events and people are revealed in the very well-researched story of the 1990 Poll Tax Riots, and weave into Brook’s present-day quest to find out what really happened.

Probably Dead is sharply written, and so authentic you can smell the interrogation rooms. An example of the authenticity, and a very clever way of showing the intelligence of our hero detective, is when Deelman unravels a bad cop’s attempt at framing him with a bogus drug charge by planting evidence. Brook systemically shows all the flaws in the bad cop/dumb cop scenario. So, you know Brook is the one to root for, and that he will always do the right thing – he just might need to punch someone in the head to do it.

[Ed Beavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another gripping read

Ed Church has once again created a brilliant murder mystery which will keep you up late at night because you can't out the book down! Highly recommended.

[Ginny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written novel with an intriguing plot. The author does need to know that your and you're are not interchangeable words.

[Roger Addis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read.

Enjoyed it from start to finish. Action and plenty of twists . Enjoyed the ending which completed the circle. Read it in a day whilst on holiday

[Georg · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really enjoyed this and
can`t wait for the next one ,
hurry up , ed church !

[Leah Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Church has fast become one of my favourite authors. None of his books have disappointed. Great plot, well written and a pleasure to read.

[Phil Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ed Church does it again!

A great read, brilliant characterisation, very good research, fast moving, one of those unputdownable ones.
looking forward to the next one!

[M.E. Proctor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Ed Church's first book in the series "Non Suspicious", and this second one doesn't disappoint. He again plays with a double timeline - 1990 and 2017 - and weaves them together with consummate skill. There is a chapter toward the book climax that puts the reader in the middle of a massive protest in the streets of London. We see it from the POV of one of the cops, and that of a protester. On both sides, it's harrowing. The cycles of action/reaction, the ramping misinformation, the absurdity of decisions made hit the reader viscerally. If like me, huge crowds make you nervous, you will feel the claustrophobia. Ed Church is a writer to follow.

[Stefan Rowana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor start and a little too unlikely an end prevented me rating this 5-star. The story was well told, easy to read and follow. Brook was probably a little too clever. It is tempting to try another in the series.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+