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DCI Craig Gillard #6
The Body on the Island
He was never truly gone, only biding his time...
Late on midsummer’s night there is a splash in the river Thames. A body is found on an island, asphyxiated and laced with strange markings. For DCI Craig Gillard it’s a baffling case. The victim’s identity is elusive, clues are scarce and every witness has something to hide.
Meanwhile one of Britain’s deadliest serial killers is finally up for parole after a deal to reveal the location of two missing bodies. The felon has his own plans to get even with witnesses, accusers and the officer who caught him thirty years before. And who was that? A young trainee, by the name of Gillard.
Late on midsummer’s night there is a splash in the river Thames. A body is found on an island, asphyxiated and laced with strange markings. For DCI Craig Gillard it’s a baffling case. The victim’s identity is elusive, clues are scarce and every witness has something to hide.
Meanwhile one of Britain’s deadliest serial killers is finally up for parole after a deal to reveal the location of two missing bodies. The felon has his own plans to get even with witnesses, accusers and the officer who caught him thirty years before. And who was that? A young trainee, by the name of Gillard.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 22, 2020
224 people are currently reading
270 people want to read
About the author
Nick Louth
42 books298 followersNick Louth is a freelance journalist and author, based in Lincolnshire UK.
Before beginning writing fiction, he was a foreign correspondent for Reuters news agency, and a regular contributor to the Financial Times, MSN, and many financial magazines.
Before beginning writing fiction, he was a foreign correspondent for Reuters news agency, and a regular contributor to the Financial Times, MSN, and many financial magazines.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
October 2, 2020
5 well that was a most interesting killing method stars!
I’m feeling generous today, plus I felt that this is probably the best book in the series so far although the previous book was also excellent. One thing is for certain, Nick Louth is getting better and better at his craft. A man’s body is fished out of the Thames after a number of witnesses report hearing a big splash from one of the bridges one night. But this body is unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. His upper body is very red, almost purple, his eyes are bulging and he seems all puffed up. It looks like he was badly crushed (but by what?) and there is a strange mesh pattern embedded all over him. This is one of the most baffling cases that DCI Craig Gillard has ever faced. If you can guess what’s going on here you’re Sherlock Holmes’ love child!
Meanwhile (there’s always a meanwhile), a man who viciously raped and murdered 5 teenage boys, and has been in prison for around 30 years, is about to be released on parole. Nobody is happy about this apart from the man himself who has fooled everyone and who can’t wait to get revenge on those who put him away - including a newly minted PC Craig Gillard. But when his parole officer visits him on release day to see how he has settled in to his new home there is no sign of him. I can’t say more without spoilers.
This was a terrific mystery with some great twists and a very suspenseful ending that will have wide appeal to thriller and crime mystery readers. The author was certainly very creative this time around and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us next time. Thanks to Netgalley, Canelo and Nick Louth for the review copy. My opinions are my own.
I’m feeling generous today, plus I felt that this is probably the best book in the series so far although the previous book was also excellent. One thing is for certain, Nick Louth is getting better and better at his craft. A man’s body is fished out of the Thames after a number of witnesses report hearing a big splash from one of the bridges one night. But this body is unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. His upper body is very red, almost purple, his eyes are bulging and he seems all puffed up. It looks like he was badly crushed (but by what?) and there is a strange mesh pattern embedded all over him. This is one of the most baffling cases that DCI Craig Gillard has ever faced. If you can guess what’s going on here you’re Sherlock Holmes’ love child!
Meanwhile (there’s always a meanwhile), a man who viciously raped and murdered 5 teenage boys, and has been in prison for around 30 years, is about to be released on parole. Nobody is happy about this apart from the man himself who has fooled everyone and who can’t wait to get revenge on those who put him away - including a newly minted PC Craig Gillard. But when his parole officer visits him on release day to see how he has settled in to his new home there is no sign of him. I can’t say more without spoilers.
This was a terrific mystery with some great twists and a very suspenseful ending that will have wide appeal to thriller and crime mystery readers. The author was certainly very creative this time around and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us next time. Thanks to Netgalley, Canelo and Nick Louth for the review copy. My opinions are my own.
September 12, 2020
This is the 6th book in the DCI Craig Gillard series by author Nick Lough. Yet another series I have started reading and once again starting at book 6. Well although I am sure plenty has happened in the previous 5 books in the series to the lead characters it didn't hinder my enjoyment of this excellent crime thriller. There are some excellent characters in this and I am pretty sure they will only get better on reading the previous novels, adding more flesh to the bone.
A body is discovered in the river Thames asphyxiated and laced with strange markings. The police are left scratching their heads, the victims identity is unknown and there are few clues to go on. Also one of Britain’s deadliest serial killers is finally up for parole after a deal to reveal the location of two missing bodies. With a new identity the convicted serial killer is planning a revenge attack on witnesses, accusers and the officer who caught him thirty years before. The young officer who caught him was no other than Craig Gillard. Thirty years on and it is now up to DCI Craig Willard to investigate the baffling body found in the Thames.
I really enjoyed this novel and will look to read the other books in the series.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Canelo for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
A body is discovered in the river Thames asphyxiated and laced with strange markings. The police are left scratching their heads, the victims identity is unknown and there are few clues to go on. Also one of Britain’s deadliest serial killers is finally up for parole after a deal to reveal the location of two missing bodies. With a new identity the convicted serial killer is planning a revenge attack on witnesses, accusers and the officer who caught him thirty years before. The young officer who caught him was no other than Craig Gillard. Thirty years on and it is now up to DCI Craig Willard to investigate the baffling body found in the Thames.
I really enjoyed this novel and will look to read the other books in the series.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Canelo for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2020
The Body on the Island is the sixth instalment in the DCI Craig Gillard Thriller series, set in Surrey. DCI Gillard is called out to investigate when the body of an Asian man is discovered on an island in the Thames after witnesses reported hearing a splash. There was also a white BMW parked on a bridge over the river and a commotion with three people present, but when the police track them down they're reluctant to talk. The corpse was completely naked and despite being dumped in the river the post-mortem showed that he died from asphyxiation rather than drowning. The police can't identify the man and are baffled by the unusual pattern imprinted on his skin. Who is he and what happened to him? Meanwhile, Neville Rollason, a predator who violently raped and murdered 5 teenage boys, is about to be released on parole having served a 30-year sentence. Naturally, there is uproar in the local community and he has well and truly fooled those who had to decide his fate by pretending to be reformed. However, Rollason only has one thing on his mind. Revenge. And at the top of the list is Gillard, who apprehended him back in 1989. But when his parole officer visits him on his day of release he has disappeared without a trace.
This is a compulsive and riveting read which has some fantastic, surprising twists and turns; just when you think you know where it's heading Louth swiftly changes direction. It is told from multiple perspectives making it a fully rounded experience as you see exactly how each character is feeling. This is a plot-driven series, which I thoroughly enjoy, and I thought I knew where it was heading but soon realised I was way off the mark, and I loved that Louth was able to trick me many times throughout. There's never a dull moment and I was captivated and fully engrossed from start to finish. I found it thoroughly entertaining and the way in which it is written pulls you into the story early on and makes for a highly readable tale. Gillard is an intelligent, astute investigator who admirably tries to get to the bottom of cases and bring closure to those involved. It's gripping and addictive and I had great difficulty putting it down. Louth has created a superbly crafted mystery-thriller that moves at rapid-fire pace with an ending that leaves you gobsmacked. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Canelo for an ARC.
This is a compulsive and riveting read which has some fantastic, surprising twists and turns; just when you think you know where it's heading Louth swiftly changes direction. It is told from multiple perspectives making it a fully rounded experience as you see exactly how each character is feeling. This is a plot-driven series, which I thoroughly enjoy, and I thought I knew where it was heading but soon realised I was way off the mark, and I loved that Louth was able to trick me many times throughout. There's never a dull moment and I was captivated and fully engrossed from start to finish. I found it thoroughly entertaining and the way in which it is written pulls you into the story early on and makes for a highly readable tale. Gillard is an intelligent, astute investigator who admirably tries to get to the bottom of cases and bring closure to those involved. It's gripping and addictive and I had great difficulty putting it down. Louth has created a superbly crafted mystery-thriller that moves at rapid-fire pace with an ending that leaves you gobsmacked. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Canelo for an ARC.
October 11, 2020
The Body on the Island is the sixth book in the DCI Craig Gillard series, set in Surrey, England. I’ve read all of these in order over the last couple of years, but each book is a stand-alone mystery and there are no spoilers for the earlier instalments, so there’d be no problem starting here if you haven’t read the others. I had enjoyed most of the previous books, but been frustrated by the lack of development of Craig’s team, and by the way the female characters were portrayed, especially in the last one (The Body Under the Bridge.) I was delighted to discover that this one has remedied all of my complaints, and Louth has produced a brilliantly twisted mystery with an excellent cast of characters.
On a hot midsummer night, a naked body washes up on a tiny island in the Thames, but the post-mortem reveals that the unknown Asian man did not drown, but was crushed to death with an unusual pattern imprinted on his skin. Craig and his team have no idea what could’ve caused it, but discover suspicious activity going on at a nearby stately home with some very exotic inhabitants. Meanwhile, serial child killer Neville Rollason is preparing for his release into the community after serving thirty years for his crimes. The media and citizens organisations are outraged, and vigilante groups think he deserves to die, but the parole board see a frail old man who has now repented. Unfortunately Neville is itching to get back to his sadistic habits - starting with revenge against everyone who has wronged him - especially the man who arrested him - a young PC Gillard...
Wowee this was clever: you think you know where he’s going with the plot, but there is no way you’ll guess this one, and the eventual reveal is of the most grotesque murder methods I’ve ever come across. I still can’t quite believe he went there, but admire both the ingenuity and the brass neck of it. (I do confess to a tiny twinge of disappointment that it wasn’t Nora!)
I was fascinated by all the details of the parole process, and could sympathise in part with the characters planning to intervene with their own brand of justice, when it seems that the manipulative psychopath is the one with all the rights. The conflict of knowing they’re in the wrong, but half-hoping they succeed - since we know from the chilling sections of Neville’s POV what he has planned - was perfectly orchestrated. I was also introduced to a phenomenon I’d never heard of but am too scared to lookup on YouTube - there are some things you just don’t want in your browser history!
I really liked the way Gillard is portrayed here - he’s evolved from the macho Superman who has to do everything himself, into an effective leader who trusts his team and plays to their strengths - particularly cheeky Glaswegian former doctor & single parent Rainy, and cool, calm and collected DI Claire, who both have crucial roles in the investigation. We learn enough about their personal lives to round them out without in any way distracting from the action. Even the sexist dinosaurs on the force are called out for their behaviour. I’ve had limited sympathy in the previous books for Craig’s wife Sam, and didn’t understand their relationship at all, but this one shows us how she’s fighting to get over the trauma of past events and the tender side of their marriage, and I liked her much more this time. I especially admired the important new characters Felicia and Anton - their experiences of racism from both the police and people in general felt very current in the 2020 climate. The British crime genre remains very white, so I respect any author that features a more diverse array of characters in their series.
Another issue which I won’t name but became important to the plot (no spoilers) was very relevant to us here in NZ, and brought a new perspective to a contentious debate.
My only niggles were some implausible coincidences in terms of connections between characters, and the decisions around where Neville was being placed that didn’t make sense but were necessary for the plot. These were minor and didn’t detract from my enjoyment one bit. 4.5 rounded up for great writing and sheer inventiveness. Highly recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. The Body on the Island is published on October 22nd.
On a hot midsummer night, a naked body washes up on a tiny island in the Thames, but the post-mortem reveals that the unknown Asian man did not drown, but was crushed to death with an unusual pattern imprinted on his skin. Craig and his team have no idea what could’ve caused it, but discover suspicious activity going on at a nearby stately home with some very exotic inhabitants. Meanwhile, serial child killer Neville Rollason is preparing for his release into the community after serving thirty years for his crimes. The media and citizens organisations are outraged, and vigilante groups think he deserves to die, but the parole board see a frail old man who has now repented. Unfortunately Neville is itching to get back to his sadistic habits - starting with revenge against everyone who has wronged him - especially the man who arrested him - a young PC Gillard...
Wowee this was clever: you think you know where he’s going with the plot, but there is no way you’ll guess this one, and the eventual reveal is of the most grotesque murder methods I’ve ever come across. I still can’t quite believe he went there, but admire both the ingenuity and the brass neck of it. (I do confess to a tiny twinge of disappointment that it wasn’t Nora!)
I was fascinated by all the details of the parole process, and could sympathise in part with the characters planning to intervene with their own brand of justice, when it seems that the manipulative psychopath is the one with all the rights. The conflict of knowing they’re in the wrong, but half-hoping they succeed - since we know from the chilling sections of Neville’s POV what he has planned - was perfectly orchestrated. I was also introduced to a phenomenon I’d never heard of but am too scared to lookup on YouTube - there are some things you just don’t want in your browser history!
I really liked the way Gillard is portrayed here - he’s evolved from the macho Superman who has to do everything himself, into an effective leader who trusts his team and plays to their strengths - particularly cheeky Glaswegian former doctor & single parent Rainy, and cool, calm and collected DI Claire, who both have crucial roles in the investigation. We learn enough about their personal lives to round them out without in any way distracting from the action. Even the sexist dinosaurs on the force are called out for their behaviour. I’ve had limited sympathy in the previous books for Craig’s wife Sam, and didn’t understand their relationship at all, but this one shows us how she’s fighting to get over the trauma of past events and the tender side of their marriage, and I liked her much more this time. I especially admired the important new characters Felicia and Anton - their experiences of racism from both the police and people in general felt very current in the 2020 climate. The British crime genre remains very white, so I respect any author that features a more diverse array of characters in their series.
Another issue which I won’t name but became important to the plot (no spoilers) was very relevant to us here in NZ, and brought a new perspective to a contentious debate.
My only niggles were some implausible coincidences in terms of connections between characters, and the decisions around where Neville was being placed that didn’t make sense but were necessary for the plot. These were minor and didn’t detract from my enjoyment one bit. 4.5 rounded up for great writing and sheer inventiveness. Highly recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. The Body on the Island is published on October 22nd.
September 15, 2020
279 pages
4 and 1 / 2 stars
A serial killer named Neville Rollason is being released. Literally everyone wants to know where he is being resettled. However, with a new identity and not looking at all like he did when he was first incarcerated years earlier, it is going to be tough to figure out where he is. Special Branch and the probation service are being tight-lipped and nothing is written down. The “reformed” serial killer has already made his plans – for revenge.
People who are connected to Rollason's murders are getting threatening phone calls...
At the same time a man of Asian extraction is murdered and thrown in the Thames. He has very unusual markings on his body. Who is he? How did he get the odd markings on his body? Witness report a white BMW and three people on the bridge, but the police officers can't get a straight answer from two of the people who say they were the only ones there.
There is much more to this story than the blurb would lead one to believe. There are several characters and sub-plots of which to keep track. The witnesses and involved individuals are beautifully drawn and very life like. The reader certainly gets a grasp on who they are.
I had not a clue who the murderer was. And the method – oh my! This book has several surprises in it just waiting to ambush the reader. It is a great story on all levels. The writing and plotting are most certainly well done. Mr. Louth is a remarkable writer who has cooked up a very original plot line for this book. I have enjoyed his previous books as well. I am looking forward to the next in this series.
I want to thank NetGalley and Canelo for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review.
4 and 1 / 2 stars
A serial killer named Neville Rollason is being released. Literally everyone wants to know where he is being resettled. However, with a new identity and not looking at all like he did when he was first incarcerated years earlier, it is going to be tough to figure out where he is. Special Branch and the probation service are being tight-lipped and nothing is written down. The “reformed” serial killer has already made his plans – for revenge.
People who are connected to Rollason's murders are getting threatening phone calls...
At the same time a man of Asian extraction is murdered and thrown in the Thames. He has very unusual markings on his body. Who is he? How did he get the odd markings on his body? Witness report a white BMW and three people on the bridge, but the police officers can't get a straight answer from two of the people who say they were the only ones there.
There is much more to this story than the blurb would lead one to believe. There are several characters and sub-plots of which to keep track. The witnesses and involved individuals are beautifully drawn and very life like. The reader certainly gets a grasp on who they are.
I had not a clue who the murderer was. And the method – oh my! This book has several surprises in it just waiting to ambush the reader. It is a great story on all levels. The writing and plotting are most certainly well done. Mr. Louth is a remarkable writer who has cooked up a very original plot line for this book. I have enjoyed his previous books as well. I am looking forward to the next in this series.
I want to thank NetGalley and Canelo for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review.
January 26, 2021
A man's body is found on a small island in the Thames. The medical examiner finds that he had been asphyxiated, but there are strange markings all over his body. The man has not been identified, there are no clues, and the potential witnesses in a home not too far from where the body is found all seem to be evasive. What are they hiding?
On another note, a serial killer is about to be released from prison after serving 30 years. The parole board sees an elderly man, no longer the threat he once was.. However, this man has an agenda .. he's going to make everybody pay ... starting with DC Gillard.
It's an intricate plot, with twists and turns to hold the reader's interest. The suspense is nicely balanced and maintained from start to finish. The characters are deftly drawn and I enjoyed how their personal lives and professional duties blend. The ending was satisfactory, although not too unpredictable or surprising.
Although 6th in the series, this is easily read as a stand lone. However, I always recommend starting at the beginning to pick up all those little nuggets that make the series more interesting.
Many thanks to the author / Canelo / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction set in Surrey, England. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
November 12, 2020
This is a thriller, but I couldn't connect with the characters. It is about a serial killer set free after a long time in prison. Everybody believes he is docile after all this time, but he is thinking only to revenge. But, he doesn't know that many eyes are on him.
March 6, 2021
This review contains spoilers. I would have given this book 4 stars except that I didn't like the ending very much. I found the whole passage about the obscenely large older lady to be quite distasteful. I appreciate that the entire novel is about murder which isn't exactly a vicar's tea party, but I thought it was a bit exploitative. Also I thought there was a significant hole in the plot about how the bed-bound woman managed to put on 150kg in weight (which is over 23stone) in two weeks (pg. 312, line 6) in order to be heavy enough to kill someone. It's physically impossible. It's a pity because up to the denouement, I'd been enjoying this book and thought that the plot was pretty good. My only other issue is that despite the title being "The Body on the Island", there actually isn't a body on the island, it's in the river.
May 28, 2021
5 stars for having the most novel way of killing people I've ever come across in all my years of reading whodunnits.
February 16, 2023
The way vicitms were killed was creative.
February 6, 2021
3.5 stars. Nick Louth is a clever author and I always get immersed in his mysteries. But, there is a masculine-savior undercurrent to some storylines which really annoys me (Sam as a character has always annoyed me) and the storyline re: Craig’s continuing relationship with the aunt who abused him is dysfunctional and odd. I hope a good editor can root out these issues in further books!
November 30, 2020
4.5 stars
The best in the series so far!
Can’t wait for the next one.
The best in the series so far!
Can’t wait for the next one.
March 10, 2021
I have read a lot of murder mysteries, but this murder method was a first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2021
Decent little twist !!!
February 11, 2025
Enjoyed this although a bit confusing at times. Did love the unusual way to kill someone though 😆
October 14, 2020
Craig Gillard is a Detective Chief Inspector these days, commanding a serious crime squad very nicely, thank you. When he was just starting out however, his career got the boost every copper dreams of. Standing outside a shopping centre handing out leaflets he happened to see a car which had been mentioned in the latest police flyers.
Chasing down a criminal was a little easier for him back in the day and Craig took off down the street after the fleeing child killer who was one of England's most wanted. Thirty five years later his parole has been agreed and he's about to be released back into the community with differing senses of acceptance from all the outside agencies involved.
With the rumour mill saying repeatedly that the killer is to be housed in his area Craig knows he must keep his wits about him but how successfully can they keep him safe when there is no information about where he will be staying or what his new identity is? No-one even knows what he looks like any more! Added to this is the small matter of an unidentified dead body being dropped into the Thames and Gillard knows he's in for a busy few days!
Once again Nick Louth has written an excellent novel which seems to start off slowly until suddenly you realise just how much has actually happened and you can't put it down until you're done. There are coincidences to get past but what lifts it to a five star novel, without spoilers, is how the author brushes away all the conventional themes of dealing with a grudge laden ex-con and leaves you gasping at his audacity. What's more it works on all levels and is an excellent read.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to fans of this author and genre unreservedly.
Chasing down a criminal was a little easier for him back in the day and Craig took off down the street after the fleeing child killer who was one of England's most wanted. Thirty five years later his parole has been agreed and he's about to be released back into the community with differing senses of acceptance from all the outside agencies involved.
With the rumour mill saying repeatedly that the killer is to be housed in his area Craig knows he must keep his wits about him but how successfully can they keep him safe when there is no information about where he will be staying or what his new identity is? No-one even knows what he looks like any more! Added to this is the small matter of an unidentified dead body being dropped into the Thames and Gillard knows he's in for a busy few days!
Once again Nick Louth has written an excellent novel which seems to start off slowly until suddenly you realise just how much has actually happened and you can't put it down until you're done. There are coincidences to get past but what lifts it to a five star novel, without spoilers, is how the author brushes away all the conventional themes of dealing with a grudge laden ex-con and leaves you gasping at his audacity. What's more it works on all levels and is an excellent read.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to fans of this author and genre unreservedly.
February 6, 2021
he body of a 'chinese' man is found in the River Thames. Sit back & wait for this incredible story to unfold. An excellent book, full of intrigue, detail & imagination. If you enjoy crime & detective work, then you will enjoy this book. So much research must have gone into this book, which makes it such a good read.
Merged review:
The body of a 'chinese' man is found in the River Thames. Sit back & wait for this incredible story to unfold. An excellent book, full of intrigue, detail & imagination. If you enjoy crime & detective work, then you will enjoy this book. So much research must have gone into this book, which makes it such a good read.
Merged review:
The body of a 'chinese' man is found in the River Thames. Sit back & wait for this incredible story to unfold. An excellent book, full of intrigue, detail & imagination. If you enjoy crime & detective work, then you will enjoy this book. So much research must have gone into this book, which makes it such a good read.
January 13, 2021
At first I was quite confused. Who is the main focus, where are all these people, how are they connected and where is it leading? But once I got into the groove, I did appreciate the story. I was just a bit disappointed that it seems to be lacking in actual suspense. Everything seemed to be settled.
BUT then came the last quarter of the book and made it up to me in the end with an equal amount of suspense and surprise.
BUT then came the last quarter of the book and made it up to me in the end with an equal amount of suspense and surprise.
March 11, 2021
This is the sixth book in the DCI Craig Gillard series. For some reason, I appear to not be as enthralled as many other readers with my review. I had difficulty with the ending — could this really have happened! It stretched my imagination. However, they do say truth is stranger than fiction. So, maybe!
October 2, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, as with the previous books. I love the way you get to know the characters and their traits and its an easy book to get into. The overweight protaganist was a bit of a odd one though I must admit. But overall a good story that I really enjoyed reading
March 18, 2023
I applaud the author in thinking outside the box. Book 5 and 6 in this series is completely whacked out. They don't follow the plots of these types of police books and really threw me for a loop. Spoilers ahead.
Summary: Really don't read this if you don't want spoilers.
The book starts off when a dead body is thrown into the River Thames, in a secluded and quiet stretch of it in Surrey where Gillard is. But it's not just any dead body. It looks like the body has been crushed with some kind of inhuman gigantic force and has wire mesh markings on it. The body is naked and completely without ID. All they can tell is that the body is East Asian.
The police start by interviewing and looking into the few witnesses who had heard the body being dumped into the river very late at night. But they get nowhere so they decide to do an expensive and time consuming stable isotope analysis which might pinpoint where the person had come from.
Meanwhile the plot switches to the release of a serial child murderer (Rollason). He had served 30 years and the powers that be had decided he had been rehabilitated and wanted to release him. The general public is up in arms against that so he is to be released under the greatest secrecy under a fake or new name.
The first dead body is finally identified by the isotope test. It's determined that the man was from Taiwan and by checking with the Taiwan consulate and police in their country and UK immigration they are able to find out who he is. He is a scientist who is here for a conference but never showed up. How he got killed is still a mystery.
Meanwhile the released killer Rollason is abducted before he can get on the bus and is soon found dead. Amazingly he is found in the river and has suffered the same crushing force on his body, but without the wire mesh markings. The police are baffled at how these two cases can be related.
Suspicion for Rollason's murder falls on a vigilante group but the leader has fled the country and it doesn't look like they killed him anyway.
Further investigation of the Taiwan scientist reveals that he is suffering from end stage liver cancer and has apparently come to the UK for euthanasia.
The cases finally break when Rolleson's probation officer finds broken parts of a red spectacle frame that he had been wearing in the boot of her boss's car. She thinks there must be some simple explanation so she asks her boss (Verity Winter) about it. Instead, Verity abducts her because she has indeed been involved in Rollason's murder.
Explanation of plot:
It turns out that Verity's brother had been one of the children murdered and her Mom had waited all this time for revenge. Since her son died, she had become a recluse and gained hundreds of kilos from over-eating and became so big that she is now unable to walk and can only move with the use of a home lifting machine. Incredibly she has been able to make money by uploaded mukbang videos on Youtube.
She had fulfilled the Taiwanese man's death fetish of being crushed to death under her body/weight and she had killed Rolleson the same way, by lowering her body onto his and crushing him. What made this 100x more sickening is that due to her weight, she had been unable to effectively clean parts of her body so she was suffering from bed sores and extremely poor body hygiene.
End Summary.
So this book went from a mysterious dead body to the story of a serial killer killed to the story of the distraught mom who turned into a horror story. I was pretty creeped out by the end. But this is definitely a different out of the box plot. Even though I feel sickened reading that last part, I have to give it 5 stars, 50 stars even. Gillard and the police kind of take a backseat in this book. The text is mostly about the other characters.
Summary: Really don't read this if you don't want spoilers.
The book starts off when a dead body is thrown into the River Thames, in a secluded and quiet stretch of it in Surrey where Gillard is. But it's not just any dead body. It looks like the body has been crushed with some kind of inhuman gigantic force and has wire mesh markings on it. The body is naked and completely without ID. All they can tell is that the body is East Asian.
The police start by interviewing and looking into the few witnesses who had heard the body being dumped into the river very late at night. But they get nowhere so they decide to do an expensive and time consuming stable isotope analysis which might pinpoint where the person had come from.
Meanwhile the plot switches to the release of a serial child murderer (Rollason). He had served 30 years and the powers that be had decided he had been rehabilitated and wanted to release him. The general public is up in arms against that so he is to be released under the greatest secrecy under a fake or new name.
The first dead body is finally identified by the isotope test. It's determined that the man was from Taiwan and by checking with the Taiwan consulate and police in their country and UK immigration they are able to find out who he is. He is a scientist who is here for a conference but never showed up. How he got killed is still a mystery.
Meanwhile the released killer Rollason is abducted before he can get on the bus and is soon found dead. Amazingly he is found in the river and has suffered the same crushing force on his body, but without the wire mesh markings. The police are baffled at how these two cases can be related.
Suspicion for Rollason's murder falls on a vigilante group but the leader has fled the country and it doesn't look like they killed him anyway.
Further investigation of the Taiwan scientist reveals that he is suffering from end stage liver cancer and has apparently come to the UK for euthanasia.
The cases finally break when Rolleson's probation officer finds broken parts of a red spectacle frame that he had been wearing in the boot of her boss's car. She thinks there must be some simple explanation so she asks her boss (Verity Winter) about it. Instead, Verity abducts her because she has indeed been involved in Rollason's murder.
Explanation of plot:
It turns out that Verity's brother had been one of the children murdered and her Mom had waited all this time for revenge. Since her son died, she had become a recluse and gained hundreds of kilos from over-eating and became so big that she is now unable to walk and can only move with the use of a home lifting machine. Incredibly she has been able to make money by uploaded mukbang videos on Youtube.
She had fulfilled the Taiwanese man's death fetish of being crushed to death under her body/weight and she had killed Rolleson the same way, by lowering her body onto his and crushing him. What made this 100x more sickening is that due to her weight, she had been unable to effectively clean parts of her body so she was suffering from bed sores and extremely poor body hygiene.
End Summary.
So this book went from a mysterious dead body to the story of a serial killer killed to the story of the distraught mom who turned into a horror story. I was pretty creeped out by the end. But this is definitely a different out of the box plot. Even though I feel sickened reading that last part, I have to give it 5 stars, 50 stars even. Gillard and the police kind of take a backseat in this book. The text is mostly about the other characters.
August 28, 2021
A good crime / murder novel with a good hook and good characters. A steady read.
I hadn't heard of this author or the central character (DCI Craig Gillard) prior to reading. The synopsis caught my attention (late on a midsummer night, a splash is heard at the river thames, an asphyxiated body with strange markings is found, no identity to the body and few clues).
The pace of the book is reasonably steady, with little variation (only a few instances of it slowing/building). Some interesting characters though I don't feel like we really got to know any of them to any great depth. I think the strength of this novel is actually in the views of society around the topic of releasing prisoners of terrible crimes and their rehabilitation (whilst in prison and once released) BUT the discussion of this wasn't served to its full potential and the surface was disturbed but not broken. Scratching the surface is actually a good way to describe my feelings on the story as a whole - it felt like more depth was needed in places.
I felt the unveiling of the murderer reduced the character to comic-strip levels with how the descriptions of appearance and murder method were made. It almost mocked the character rather than presented it as a serious method by which a murder was committed. I don't think it was intentional, but it is how it came across to me.
On a few occasions, I did become a little muddled by the characters (I feel like I missed a detail somewhere in the text) but on the whole it was relatively easy to follow.
On the whole, a good whodunit, but needed more depth and detail in some areas to really polish it off. I think if you're a fan of crime/murder novels, you will be OK with this but perhaps one to avoid if you're new to the genre.
I hadn't heard of this author or the central character (DCI Craig Gillard) prior to reading. The synopsis caught my attention (late on a midsummer night, a splash is heard at the river thames, an asphyxiated body with strange markings is found, no identity to the body and few clues).
The pace of the book is reasonably steady, with little variation (only a few instances of it slowing/building). Some interesting characters though I don't feel like we really got to know any of them to any great depth. I think the strength of this novel is actually in the views of society around the topic of releasing prisoners of terrible crimes and their rehabilitation (whilst in prison and once released) BUT the discussion of this wasn't served to its full potential and the surface was disturbed but not broken. Scratching the surface is actually a good way to describe my feelings on the story as a whole - it felt like more depth was needed in places.
I felt the unveiling of the murderer reduced the character to comic-strip levels with how the descriptions of appearance and murder method were made. It almost mocked the character rather than presented it as a serious method by which a murder was committed. I don't think it was intentional, but it is how it came across to me.
On a few occasions, I did become a little muddled by the characters (I feel like I missed a detail somewhere in the text) but on the whole it was relatively easy to follow.
On the whole, a good whodunit, but needed more depth and detail in some areas to really polish it off. I think if you're a fan of crime/murder novels, you will be OK with this but perhaps one to avoid if you're new to the genre.
June 13, 2022
I’ve been going through audiobooks by Nick Louth for the past few weeks and I’ve liked them all but some are better than others. This one seemed short and a bit bland compared to others. The best features of the book were the atmosphere and interesting locations, which can be pulled up on Google Streetview allowing me to see the locations and follow the movements of characters. If I were required to make criticisms it would have to be that the narrative technique involving the manipulation of naïve women by cunning men sticks out a bit too much. I also thought the book ended rather suddenly with a rush to tie up loose ends as if a publisher’s deadline needed to be met; for whatever reason it wasn’t as satisfying as it could have been.
The book starts with an intriguing event on Tagg’s Island in the upper Thames on the night of the solstice. I’d never heard of this ‘English Riviera’ but it is clearly a location begging to be a setting for a murder. Expensive homes and canal boats inhabited by wealthy businessmen and artsy types provide a perfect, largely temporary, community where strange things can happen. The bodies that turn up with strange markings are baffling, while the residents, witnesses and solid citizens are vague and elusive. At the same time a felon found guilty of the murder of young boys has been released under mysterious circumstances and has plans to get even with anyone who helped to put him in prison many years ago.
The plot is complex and ingenious. The characters, including Gillard and his colleagues are well-drawn -- and yet there is something missing. The narrative might work better in the printed book but, in the audiobook, it lacks the depth I’ve experienced with Louth’s other books. It’s is ingenious and it works pretty well on an intellectual level but it isn’t as satisfying as I would have expected.
The book starts with an intriguing event on Tagg’s Island in the upper Thames on the night of the solstice. I’d never heard of this ‘English Riviera’ but it is clearly a location begging to be a setting for a murder. Expensive homes and canal boats inhabited by wealthy businessmen and artsy types provide a perfect, largely temporary, community where strange things can happen. The bodies that turn up with strange markings are baffling, while the residents, witnesses and solid citizens are vague and elusive. At the same time a felon found guilty of the murder of young boys has been released under mysterious circumstances and has plans to get even with anyone who helped to put him in prison many years ago.
The plot is complex and ingenious. The characters, including Gillard and his colleagues are well-drawn -- and yet there is something missing. The narrative might work better in the printed book but, in the audiobook, it lacks the depth I’ve experienced with Louth’s other books. It’s is ingenious and it works pretty well on an intellectual level but it isn’t as satisfying as I would have expected.
February 7, 2021
This was a new author and a news series to me, and despite being the sixth book in the series this did not affect my enjoyment of the book at all.
In this book we have two main strands,first we have a serial killer who is soon to be let out of prison and who is set on revenge against those who led to his imprisonment, and secondly we have a body that has turned up in a remote location near one of the islands on the Thames, with little to tell how it got there or how the person was killed.
I have to say I enjoyed this book a lot and following this one I am keen to read the other books in the series. I would like to know more about the lead detective and the events that happened to his wife in previous books.
All in all this was an excellent read, with good characterisation and dialogue, a plot that moved along quickly and built tension as the book progressed. I thought I’d worked out who did it and certainly had other suspicions but there were good twists that challenged this thinking and blew some of it out of the water. I also loved the ending of the book and what must be the most challenging arrest of all time!
Based on this book I strongly recommend this book and the series and I can’t wait to catch up with the other books in the series. I would like to say thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing a copy of this book to me for an open and honest review. 4.5 Stars
In this book we have two main strands,first we have a serial killer who is soon to be let out of prison and who is set on revenge against those who led to his imprisonment, and secondly we have a body that has turned up in a remote location near one of the islands on the Thames, with little to tell how it got there or how the person was killed.
I have to say I enjoyed this book a lot and following this one I am keen to read the other books in the series. I would like to know more about the lead detective and the events that happened to his wife in previous books.
All in all this was an excellent read, with good characterisation and dialogue, a plot that moved along quickly and built tension as the book progressed. I thought I’d worked out who did it and certainly had other suspicions but there were good twists that challenged this thinking and blew some of it out of the water. I also loved the ending of the book and what must be the most challenging arrest of all time!
Based on this book I strongly recommend this book and the series and I can’t wait to catch up with the other books in the series. I would like to say thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing a copy of this book to me for an open and honest review. 4.5 Stars
December 7, 2021
I got this free from Tesco's help yourself bookshelf and leave a donation for charity in the box. I love this idea, although they do have a strange set of books!!
There is this serial killer "the bogeyman" who has been in prison for now was it 30 yrs for grooming and murdering young boys, and he has been approved for release. Grief. Anyway he swops identities (have no idea how he could do this) and becomes someone else, a nice old man who has only done 6 yrs for a minor offence. He is given a lovely new probation officer Leticia who sets him up with a nice flat in a nice part of London, although she disagrees with this, but he never turns up to meet her at the flat. Any breach of his probation will send back to prison.
In the meantime a party was going on at a canal boat between 2 islands on the Thames, and they hear a splash of someone going in. Several days later a body enveloped in a very tight mesh, is found drowned in the river. But he wasn't, the far eastern man was smothered first before he went in. The police can't identify the netting used.
The story gathers apace and it does get quite tense. I won't tell you what happens to the despicable "bogeyman" or poor Leticia, but it kept me reading through the night! I did check the back door was locked!! Haven't come across Nick Louth before but will look out for any other books.
There is this serial killer "the bogeyman" who has been in prison for now was it 30 yrs for grooming and murdering young boys, and he has been approved for release. Grief. Anyway he swops identities (have no idea how he could do this) and becomes someone else, a nice old man who has only done 6 yrs for a minor offence. He is given a lovely new probation officer Leticia who sets him up with a nice flat in a nice part of London, although she disagrees with this, but he never turns up to meet her at the flat. Any breach of his probation will send back to prison.
In the meantime a party was going on at a canal boat between 2 islands on the Thames, and they hear a splash of someone going in. Several days later a body enveloped in a very tight mesh, is found drowned in the river. But he wasn't, the far eastern man was smothered first before he went in. The police can't identify the netting used.
The story gathers apace and it does get quite tense. I won't tell you what happens to the despicable "bogeyman" or poor Leticia, but it kept me reading through the night! I did check the back door was locked!! Haven't come across Nick Louth before but will look out for any other books.
August 9, 2024
Body on the Island is the 6th in the DCI Gillard series. This time, there’s a splash and then a naked body is found on an island. The body has weird marks on it and the manner of death is extreme. But the more important storyline is that a serial killer is about to be released on parole, deemed reformed. He’s even been given a new ID. But he’s got his own agenda.
This was a complicated story, between the detectives trying to determine how the victim was killed and who he was, not to mention who killed him.
The book is told from multiple POVs which helps keep the book moving at a fast pace. However, at times it did feel a little disjointed.
I found the British justice system an interesting contrast to ours in the US. A serial killer being set free, even if it was after 30 years? And given a new ID? Even my bleeding heart doesn’t go that far. But the book raises some interesting questions about vigilante justice.
Once it was disclosed, I was amazed at the method of death (no one will guess this one!) I’m actually giving this four stars just for that reason and for the rest of the ending. I did think that one of the plot lines ended up being a bit too much of a red herring.
Unlike prior books, this one seemed to be focused purely on the professional side of things with very little personal lives revealed or developed. Because of that, this one would work fine as a stand-alone.
I listened to this and Marlton York does a good job as the narrator.
This was a complicated story, between the detectives trying to determine how the victim was killed and who he was, not to mention who killed him.
The book is told from multiple POVs which helps keep the book moving at a fast pace. However, at times it did feel a little disjointed.
I found the British justice system an interesting contrast to ours in the US. A serial killer being set free, even if it was after 30 years? And given a new ID? Even my bleeding heart doesn’t go that far. But the book raises some interesting questions about vigilante justice.
Once it was disclosed, I was amazed at the method of death (no one will guess this one!) I’m actually giving this four stars just for that reason and for the rest of the ending. I did think that one of the plot lines ended up being a bit too much of a red herring.
Unlike prior books, this one seemed to be focused purely on the professional side of things with very little personal lives revealed or developed. Because of that, this one would work fine as a stand-alone.
I listened to this and Marlton York does a good job as the narrator.
April 4, 2023
I only started reading Louth's books a few weeks ago and am so pleased to have found him. I read books 1-5 back-to-back but didn't stay away for long. We soon learn that a sadistic paedophile is to be realwased on licence and that he is keen to settle the score (in as many sick ways as possible) against the man who apprehended him, who was of course a young constable named Craig Gillard. I was worried it would be a story about that search, capture, imprisonment, torture and eventual rescue of our DCI, which meant it wasn't going to be to my taste. I don't want to give too much away but I will say that for those of you who, like me, prefer middleweight crime fiction to cosy or gruesome, you are safe with this one.
November 11, 2020
When I first started this book I found it a tad slow, and the release of a prisoner of such heinous crimes, being relocated, paid benefits and everything else made my blood boil. I would have hung him and pulled the lever!!
However, as the story unfolds, there are lots of twists and turns, and as usual Nick has the reader captivated. I would never have worked out the ending in a month of Sunday’s! I do like this series and have read each and everyone. I did feel however that Craig took a bit of a back seat on this one and his wife was a bit better after her previous experiences.
Looking forward to the next one.
However, as the story unfolds, there are lots of twists and turns, and as usual Nick has the reader captivated. I would never have worked out the ending in a month of Sunday’s! I do like this series and have read each and everyone. I did feel however that Craig took a bit of a back seat on this one and his wife was a bit better after her previous experiences.
Looking forward to the next one.
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July 2, 2025I didn't really enjoy this as it feels as if so much is missing from the story. This is the first book by this author, and thus the series, I've read and I still don't know much about D.C.I. Gillard. The series is supposedly based around him but it didn't feel as if the book was focused upon him. The whole structure felt strange and lacking in logical progression. It seemed to jump about and not smoothly.
Then there is the story itself which is just weird and illogical. There are too many coincidences involving the characters for my liking. It felt more like a TV police soap drama.
I most likely won't be reading more in this series.
Then there is the story itself which is just weird and illogical. There are too many coincidences involving the characters for my liking. It felt more like a TV police soap drama.
I most likely won't be reading more in this series.
February 1, 2026
Clever, if somewhat fantastic, plotting in thi
s sixth DCI Gillard story.
Neville Rollason, a notorious child killer, is about to be released from prison after serving more than thirty years. Not only is he planning revenge on those he considers to have wronged him, but there are vigilante groups equally determined to track down Rollason.
Meanwhile, Gillard and his team are puzzled about the cause of death of a body found floating in the Thames. The man appears to have died from asphyxia but is covered with strange markings.
Only when a second body with similar injuries is discovered do the police manage to work out exactly what happened.
s sixth DCI Gillard story.
Neville Rollason, a notorious child killer, is about to be released from prison after serving more than thirty years. Not only is he planning revenge on those he considers to have wronged him, but there are vigilante groups equally determined to track down Rollason.
Meanwhile, Gillard and his team are puzzled about the cause of death of a body found floating in the Thames. The man appears to have died from asphyxia but is covered with strange markings.
Only when a second body with similar injuries is discovered do the police manage to work out exactly what happened.
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