Body on the Shore

DI Jordan Carr #1

by Diane M. Dickson

A nameless victim, an elusive killer, and a puzzling case for a detective in a new role

When a body washes up on Crosby Beach in Liverpool Bay, detectives quickly declare foul play. Yet they will struggle to establish the identity of the victim, let alone the killer.

Leading the inquiry on his first murder case, DI Jordan Carr must marshal a somewhat motley team to build a picture of what happened one grim day on the Mersey. Like footprints in the sand, in time the clues will disappear.

With a victim who has clearly concealed her own identity, it will require a journey into Liverpool’s underworld to shake loose the facts.

But once they have their man, the police still need to know why the woman was killed. And answering that question will be DI Carr’s biggest challenge.

BODY ON THE SHORE is the first book in a new mystery series by Diane Dickson. She is the author of many crime fiction titles, including the bestselling DI Tanya Miller series set in the Midlands and Oxfordshire.

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Contemporary

259 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2020

About the author

English. Love writing - love reading. Feel very lucky and amazed to have books published.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I somehow managed to read through to the end of this book I did not care for at all. I do like to try new police procedural series out from the first book but would not recommend as the characters, action and language fall into the category of vulgarity in my opinion.


Kindle Unlimited

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous

I must admit that the cover of this book got my attention. I've been there, many times as I live in Merseyside and the thought of a body on the beach drew me in. Such a thrilling read. Very intriguing and well paced. Believable characters and a likable protagonist. A well thought out plot that kept me guessing. This is the first book I have read by the author and a very entertaining and enjoyable book it was. Hope this is the first of a series. Count me in!

[Anna Willett · Rating 5 out of 5]

DI Jordan Carr is a fascinating main character in what promises to be a riveting new series from Diane Dickson. As a fan of her DI Tanya Miller series, my expectations were high so I was thrilled to find that DI Carr doesn’t disappoint.
When a woman’s body is found on a beach in Liverpool, DI Carr begins his first murder investigation. But, he’ll not only have to sift through the clues to find the killer, but also identify the victim.
Expect top notch writing and a twisty turny story that will have you hooked. Highly recommend!

[Antigone Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Procedural

A circumspect young woman is murdered and DI Carr is tasked with solving the crime. With a small team he hunts a case more complex and frustrating than th he imagined.

This is a good police procedural. Carr is likable a nab nd the pace is good. I did figure out the plot but it was interesting watching it unfold. I wish they dispensed with the multiple pregnancy / young children/ long suffering troubled wives requiring kid glove handling. Boring.Otherwise a nice tight novel.

[Anita Rodgers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing I really like about Dickson's books is that they are stories of everyday people. Often acting badly but usually because of a mistake and the fear of having the mistakes discovered.

Body on the Shore is a fast-paced mystery that offers up plenty of twists and turns and a satisfying, though surprising ending. It all starts with one mistake many years before and from there the mistakes keep piling up.

Good read.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A woman’s body washes up on Crosby beach, and with few clues to go on, DI Jordan Carr and his hastily put together team of detectives have a difficult job of tracing the last known whereabouts of this mysterious young woman. However, with perseverance, good detective work, a bit of luck here and there and all the pieces of this complicated murder investigation eventually start to come together and what a tangled web of deception unfolds.

With clever precision we follow the story and see everything through the eyes of those who are involved from the police, to the crime perpetrators, the story unfolds in fine detail so that we are able to follow the clues as they are laid out before us. The author writes well and keeps the momentum going so that the story never slows down and even though we know from the beginning whodunnit, we don’t know all the whys and wherefores, there are several clever twists along the way and an ending I really didn’t see coming.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being in Liverpool with this first book in the DI Jordan Carr series of crime novels which are set in and around Merseyside and up to now there are a further seven books in the series, the first four books are currently available in a box set.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1 of a new series featuring DI Jordan Carr and his team of detectives in the Wirral, Liverpool. A female body is washed up on Crosby Beach, caught by one of the statues Carr is called to the scene. The unknown female has clearly been murdered but why and by whom is what Carr needs to find out in this his first murder case.

Briefly, we, the reader, quickly discover who the killer is and why but in a clever twist to the normal whodunnit they appear to be well ahead of the police. That is until they are found murdered in an hotel room. So why is Carr struggling to join up all the dots? Is there a second killer still out there and again who could it be and why?

A cleverly written police procedural thriller with an interesting team of characters and it will be interesting to see how they gel as the series moves forward. Really good plot and great twists kept me fully engaged.

[Mags · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐

Body on the Shore introduces readers to DI Jordan Carr who gets a shot at his first murder case when a body washes up on Crosby Beach.

But with a hot potch team, little evidence, and a victim who was clearly determined to keep their identity hidden, Jordan has his work cut out.


Yet, he soon proves he's more than up to the task as the mystery unravels with surprising results.

And with red herrings, interesting characters. Not to mention an interesting setting. Body on the Shore is a police procedural that engages and entertains and I'm really keen to read more from DI Carr in the future.

My thanks to The Book Folks for my copy of Body on the Shore. ☺️

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read. I was curious how the team was going to do as they learn to work together. With a body that has no identify, the struggle to identify the victim has them asking many questions. The characters are well thought out and the book itself keeps you engaged. I often found myself leaning forward, anxious on what was coming next. There are gasp-worthy spots, and a few twists that will catch you off-guard. Be prepared to find a new character to love.

For those who really enjoy a good mystery, this series is one that you can really sink into. There are currently 8 books available, and so you can binge read to your heart's desire.

Happy reading, my friends!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reviewing this as part of a tour with The Book Folks.

This police procedural is the first in a series set in Liverpool. DI Jordan Carr and his team are called to investigate after a young woman's body is discovered on a beach.

Getting to know Carr, I found him likeable, and I liked how he and the other characters worked together. I found that the story flowed easily, and kept me guessing. I also found that this was easy to read in one sitting. I was interested in all of the characters, even if I wasn't sure who to trust, and the conclusion was something that I didn't see coming.

Thank you to The Book Folks, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

[Siesta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light read.
DI Carr gets the chance to lead a murder enquiry, which turns out to be more complex than it initially seemed. In his steady and inclusive way, he gets the job done.
Not a lot of depth to the characters, or details to the story. Carr is almost too nice.
Borderline 2/3 stars. Got books 1 and 2 on a discount so will see if book 2 is any better, otherwise would probably have stopped at 1.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Body on the Shore is an exciting new mystery by Dickson and the first in the DI Jordan Carr series.

I'm a newbie to her as an author, so for me it was a great introduction to her writing style.

It has a great cast of characters and I can't wait to catch up with Carr again in subsequent books. He was such a likeable character, maybe a bit too nice even.

I found it to be an enjoyable and engaging read. The pace is fast and it has some great twists to keep you on your toes.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering this book is the first in the series, I found it to be nicely written with work vs personal life of the characters. Although more personal life is advantageous to falling in love with characters, too many crime/mystery books sacrifice the theme to extensive personal details. I will put the next book of this series into my “to read” list.

[mommy_and_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

" [...] Now, this was his chance to show that he could handle a major crime, start to finish. [...]"

This was my first reading encounter with Diane M. Dickson's work and I hope it won't be the last. I like her writing style. I had the pleasure of reading the novel "Body on the shore". It was a good crime novel that didn't let me tear myself away from reading. The prologue was very promising. Later on it was also very good.

I met here, among others:
- Ben Harwood - a young murderer who, in my opinion, took too many liberties. Will the police find his trail?
- Detective Inspector Jordan Carr - I liked his thinking. The perfect detective. He handled the case very well. Did he track down the murderer of the young woman?
- Policeman Terry Denn - it's worth taking a closer look at his work.

- Graham Matthews - a financial advisor who really messed things up here. Watch out for him. This character is a slippery guy.

The plot drew me in, and the action wouldn't let me go. Short chapters didn't let me get bored. The ending was very exciting for me. I'm glad I got to know this novel.

If you like history with an unusual hero, then feel free to reach for "Body on the shore".

[Erik Empson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liverpool's underworld gets a bruising when new crime busting hero DI Jordan Carr enters the fray. A woman's body has been found under one of the Gormley statues on Crosby Beach. Carr soon has the yellow-bellied murderer in his sights, but has bigger fish to fry.

[Sonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So glad I found this series

I lucked out coming across Diane Dickson’s books. Body on the Shore was so good. Could hardly put it down. Very unusual, creative plot. Starting book 2 tonight.

[Kristina Creighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Intricate and Absorbing Plot

This British mystery takes you on a winding ride, with believable characters and a story that holds your interest. Well-written and full of twists, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

[Candy Denman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this police procedural which is a great introduction to some well-rounded and likeable characters, I look forward to seeing how they develop in future books.
The writer obviously knows Liverpool well and the city stars in this story of past crimes catching up with you.

[John Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! My first book by Diane and I'm glad I discovered her! This book kept me guessing and was at steady pace. I like Jordan and his team and can't wait to read book 2! Highly recommed this book and series.

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a well written book. A little bit long and somewhat drawn out, but it was a worthwhile read. I didn’t enjoy the story I figured out who done it prior to the end of the book, but it was still enjoyable to read.

[Ruth Kittner · Rating 4 out of 5]

first of the series—pretty good!

Interesting story! Nicely executed. Clues dropped in appropriately. The set about the 3rd murder was a bit late in the game— so it felt pointed. Nicely done!!

[Sidney Lovell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Read

I always worry about giving to much information away when I do these reviews. I enjoyed the book the twist and turns did not take me by surprise and was able to figure out Rose's part in the whole story.

[Irene Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

Finished in 2 days! Normally takes me weeks! Have downloaded 2nd one to start. Excellent writing and kept me turning the pages

[Anthony Humphreys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read.Keep's you enthralled.

[cathy holding · Rating 5 out of 5]

enjoyable with plenty of twists

Enjoyable story , credible characters. First I’ve read by author but I will be continuing the series. Definitely recommend. Good start.

[anne mcfettridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

another really good read from one of my favourite authirs.

[Brenda H · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Need to check out more in this series.