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DS Lucy Black #3
Preserve The Dead
**«I suoi romanzi sono tra i migliori in assoluto.»
Lee Child
Il nuovo grande thriller
Le indagini del detective Lucy Black**
La detective Lucy Black sta facendo visita a suo padre, ricoverato in un reparto speciale dell’ospedale di Gransha, sulle rive del fiume Foyle, nel Nord dell’Irlanda, quando scopre con sgomento che dopo il ricovero è stato ferito in modo grave in una rissa con un altro paziente. Rimane sotto shock nel trovarlo incatenato al letto dell’ospedale, ma non ha nemmeno il tempo di farsi un’idea sull’accaduto perché una notizia la un corpo galleggia nel fiume, poco distante dall’ospedale... Si tratta del cadavere di un uomo anziano, che indossa un abito grigio. Suicidio o omicidio? Preoccupata ed esausta, Lucy va a casa del padre per riposarsi qualche ora, ma ha appena varcato la soglia quando qualcuno bussa alla porta. Si tratta di un vicino in preda alla sua cognata è stata picchiata a sangue e ha bisogno di aiuto. Sono davvero troppe le cose strane che accadono in quel posto. E Lucy verrà coinvolta in un’indagine in cui un pericolo mortale è sempre più vicino…
**Da un maestro del thriller, bestseller in America, Irlanda e Inghilterra
Le avvincenti indagini della detective Lucy Black**
«Un romanzo di altissimo livello, dalla penna di uno dei più interessanti maestri del thriller irlandesi.»
Irish Independent
«I romanzi di McGilloway sono polizieschi appassionanti che rivelano una raffinata capacità di analisi dell’evoluzione delle organizzazioni criminali.»
Sunday Times
Brian McGilloway
È nato nel 1974 a Derry, in Irlanda del Nord, dove oggi insegna Letteratura inglese. I suoi romanzi hanno ottenuto importanti riconoscimenti. Non parlare, il primo thriller della serie sulle indagini della detective Lucy Black, ha vinto il premio letterario University of Ulster’s McCrea nel 2011 ed è stato per settimane ai primi posti delle classifiche inglesi e americane. La Newton Compton ha pubblicato anche Urlare non basterà e Non entrare.
Lee Child
Il nuovo grande thriller
Le indagini del detective Lucy Black**
La detective Lucy Black sta facendo visita a suo padre, ricoverato in un reparto speciale dell’ospedale di Gransha, sulle rive del fiume Foyle, nel Nord dell’Irlanda, quando scopre con sgomento che dopo il ricovero è stato ferito in modo grave in una rissa con un altro paziente. Rimane sotto shock nel trovarlo incatenato al letto dell’ospedale, ma non ha nemmeno il tempo di farsi un’idea sull’accaduto perché una notizia la un corpo galleggia nel fiume, poco distante dall’ospedale... Si tratta del cadavere di un uomo anziano, che indossa un abito grigio. Suicidio o omicidio? Preoccupata ed esausta, Lucy va a casa del padre per riposarsi qualche ora, ma ha appena varcato la soglia quando qualcuno bussa alla porta. Si tratta di un vicino in preda alla sua cognata è stata picchiata a sangue e ha bisogno di aiuto. Sono davvero troppe le cose strane che accadono in quel posto. E Lucy verrà coinvolta in un’indagine in cui un pericolo mortale è sempre più vicino…
**Da un maestro del thriller, bestseller in America, Irlanda e Inghilterra
Le avvincenti indagini della detective Lucy Black**
«Un romanzo di altissimo livello, dalla penna di uno dei più interessanti maestri del thriller irlandesi.»
Irish Independent
«I romanzi di McGilloway sono polizieschi appassionanti che rivelano una raffinata capacità di analisi dell’evoluzione delle organizzazioni criminali.»
Sunday Times
Brian McGilloway
È nato nel 1974 a Derry, in Irlanda del Nord, dove oggi insegna Letteratura inglese. I suoi romanzi hanno ottenuto importanti riconoscimenti. Non parlare, il primo thriller della serie sulle indagini della detective Lucy Black, ha vinto il premio letterario University of Ulster’s McCrea nel 2011 ed è stato per settimane ai primi posti delle classifiche inglesi e americane. La Newton Compton ha pubblicato anche Urlare non basterà e Non entrare.
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 2014
133 people are currently reading
666 people want to read
About the author
Brian McGilloway
43 books370 followersBrian McGilloway is an author hailing from Derry, Northern Ireland. He studied English at Queens University Belfast, where he was very active in student theatre, winning a prestigious national Irish Student Drama Association award for theatrical lighting design in 1996. He is currently Head of English at St. Columb's College, Derry. McGilloway's debut novel was a crime thriller called Borderlands. Borderlands was shortlisted for a Crime Writers' Association Dagger award for a debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
September 20, 2015
Detective Sergeant Lucy Black is visiting her father at the Gransha Hospital when a body is found outside the hospital. But it seems that the dead man has already been embalmed. Why have an embalmed body been dumped in the river?
Despite not having read the previous books was it not hard or in any way confusing to read the book. Lucy Black's father has Alzheimer's and is in hospital and he will never get home again and Lucy is slowly getting to terms with it. Her mother is also a police and not many know what they are related since she walked out of Lucy and her father's life when Lucy was a child. And, beside the case with the embalmed body must Lucy also help a sister to her neighbor. The sister is in a bad relationship and Lucy must try to get her to leave him without revealing that she is a police.
But I never really got into the story. I felt during the time I read the book that I had a really hard time focusing on the book's story. I just couldn't get into it. I was constantly distracted. In other words: it just didn't keep my mind occupied. I never got into the story. I didn't find it utterly boring in anyway, nor did the character seem boring. But the story was just not that interesting.
Would I still read more in this series? Yes, not only because I own them, but because I still find Lucy Black interesting enough to give another book a try.
2.5 stars
I received this copy from Corsair through NetGalley in return for an honest review! Thank you!
Despite not having read the previous books was it not hard or in any way confusing to read the book. Lucy Black's father has Alzheimer's and is in hospital and he will never get home again and Lucy is slowly getting to terms with it. Her mother is also a police and not many know what they are related since she walked out of Lucy and her father's life when Lucy was a child. And, beside the case with the embalmed body must Lucy also help a sister to her neighbor. The sister is in a bad relationship and Lucy must try to get her to leave him without revealing that she is a police.
But I never really got into the story. I felt during the time I read the book that I had a really hard time focusing on the book's story. I just couldn't get into it. I was constantly distracted. In other words: it just didn't keep my mind occupied. I never got into the story. I didn't find it utterly boring in anyway, nor did the character seem boring. But the story was just not that interesting.
Would I still read more in this series? Yes, not only because I own them, but because I still find Lucy Black interesting enough to give another book a try.
2.5 stars
I received this copy from Corsair through NetGalley in return for an honest review! Thank you!
March 26, 2016
2 1/2 stars for #3 in the DS Lucy Black Series, Preserve the Dead.
Lucy is visiting her father, in an Alzheimers unit, when an orderly spies a body in the river. At first presumed a suicide, it soon become evident that the body has already been embalmed. Whose body is it? Where is it meant to be? And why has no-one reported it missing?
I really liked the sound of this book, but once I started reading I found it very hard to connect with this book in any way. I found myself skimming large tracts of text, to no great detriment of the story. Some parts of it were boring, and could easily have been excised.
The parts that should have been exciting, tense, gripping, just weren't.
The best I can say about this book is that it is an okay read at best. Would I read the rest of the series? Probably not.
I am please to see that the book has been retitled to "The forgotten Ones"...a far more apt title.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK Corsair for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Lucy is visiting her father, in an Alzheimers unit, when an orderly spies a body in the river. At first presumed a suicide, it soon become evident that the body has already been embalmed. Whose body is it? Where is it meant to be? And why has no-one reported it missing?
I really liked the sound of this book, but once I started reading I found it very hard to connect with this book in any way. I found myself skimming large tracts of text, to no great detriment of the story. Some parts of it were boring, and could easily have been excised.
The parts that should have been exciting, tense, gripping, just weren't.
The best I can say about this book is that it is an okay read at best. Would I read the rest of the series? Probably not.
I am please to see that the book has been retitled to "The forgotten Ones"...a far more apt title.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK Corsair for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
September 13, 2015
Detective Sergeant Lucy Black of the Derry police force leads a full and complex life. Her father is suffering the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and has been badly beaten by another inmate at the secure unit he’s currently in. But before she can complain about his treatment a body is discovered floating in the river that passes beneath the unit. Black drags the corpse ashore. It’s an old man, fully dressed and appearing as if he’s been at a funeral.
Investigation shows the old man was dead before he went into the river. Actually he was ready to be buried and had been embalmed. So how did he end up in the river and why?
With the corpse taken away and questions swirling in her mind, Lucy heads home to her father’s house, only to get sucked into a domestic abuse case. One of her neighbours asks for help. His sister’s wife, Fiona, has been badly beaten. Lucy agrees, but she doesn’t declare herself to be police in case it scares Fiona off and makes her return to her husband. Lucy awakes the next day to find she’s landed another case. A homeless man has been found in the compacter of a rubbish truck. He’d been emptied into the truck from a bin he’d been sleeping in. Only it wasn’t the compacter that killed him. The tramp had been beaten up first.
Lucy returns to the case of the floating man. She learns someone was cremated in his place, but all they have left are the ashes and some metal pins and plates. One of the plates is from the skull and it has a large cut in it. Seemingly the person was killed by a blow to the head. With multiple mysteries on her hands Lucy carries on digging and it appears the case of the homeless man and the unidentified cremation are connected. It transpires homeless men have been going missing all over Derry, drawn towards the offer of work by a mystery man in a van. But who was cremated and why was he killed? And how is he linked to Fiona’s husband, the wife beater? What Lucy eventually finds shocks her to the core.
Preserve The Dead is the second novel featuring DS Lucy Black. From the first page she is beset with a series of issues to resolve personally and professionally. Her father has Alzheimer’s, but there’s also the a difficult relationship with her mother, who left Lucy and her father when she was eight and happens to now be the Acting Chief Constable so is ultimately Lucy’s boss. The characterisation is strong. For example, it’s particularly easy to associate with Lucy and her troubles.
The book operates well enough as a stand-alone novel with minimal reference or impact from previous story lines. The only significant element is the tension with her partner Robbie, who was previously injured in a car bomb meant for Lucy. It’s a wise aspect to add, though, as it adds another dimension to her trouble and complex life.
One slight disappointment with the book is the editing. Sometimes the diction is repetitive and there are some mangled sentences. This aside, Preserve The Dead is a very good read and will appeal to anyone who enjoys police procedurals or strong female leads. McGilloway is a rising star in the crime world, and deservedly so.
Originally reviewed for Crime Fiction Lover.
Investigation shows the old man was dead before he went into the river. Actually he was ready to be buried and had been embalmed. So how did he end up in the river and why?
With the corpse taken away and questions swirling in her mind, Lucy heads home to her father’s house, only to get sucked into a domestic abuse case. One of her neighbours asks for help. His sister’s wife, Fiona, has been badly beaten. Lucy agrees, but she doesn’t declare herself to be police in case it scares Fiona off and makes her return to her husband. Lucy awakes the next day to find she’s landed another case. A homeless man has been found in the compacter of a rubbish truck. He’d been emptied into the truck from a bin he’d been sleeping in. Only it wasn’t the compacter that killed him. The tramp had been beaten up first.
Lucy returns to the case of the floating man. She learns someone was cremated in his place, but all they have left are the ashes and some metal pins and plates. One of the plates is from the skull and it has a large cut in it. Seemingly the person was killed by a blow to the head. With multiple mysteries on her hands Lucy carries on digging and it appears the case of the homeless man and the unidentified cremation are connected. It transpires homeless men have been going missing all over Derry, drawn towards the offer of work by a mystery man in a van. But who was cremated and why was he killed? And how is he linked to Fiona’s husband, the wife beater? What Lucy eventually finds shocks her to the core.
Preserve The Dead is the second novel featuring DS Lucy Black. From the first page she is beset with a series of issues to resolve personally and professionally. Her father has Alzheimer’s, but there’s also the a difficult relationship with her mother, who left Lucy and her father when she was eight and happens to now be the Acting Chief Constable so is ultimately Lucy’s boss. The characterisation is strong. For example, it’s particularly easy to associate with Lucy and her troubles.
The book operates well enough as a stand-alone novel with minimal reference or impact from previous story lines. The only significant element is the tension with her partner Robbie, who was previously injured in a car bomb meant for Lucy. It’s a wise aspect to add, though, as it adds another dimension to her trouble and complex life.
One slight disappointment with the book is the editing. Sometimes the diction is repetitive and there are some mangled sentences. This aside, Preserve The Dead is a very good read and will appeal to anyone who enjoys police procedurals or strong female leads. McGilloway is a rising star in the crime world, and deservedly so.
Originally reviewed for Crime Fiction Lover.
July 21, 2015
I would like to thank Net Galley for giving me a forward copy of this novel in exchange for a honest and frank review. This is my first read of a Brian McGilloway and very shortly after starting it I was already looking him up to see what other books were available by him such was the initial impact of this novel. This is the 3rd book in the Lucy Black series and there was enough going on to make me think I would like to read more of this series. This book can be read as a stand alone but I am sure that the more you read of this series the better it will get. A decent plot that was well paced and everything made sense by the end of the story. I have now added this author to my list of writers to look out for when picking a novel to read.
July 21, 2018
The third novel in this already excellent series is possibly the best yet. Lucy Black is a wonderfully original creation: having to cope with her dying father, her loyal but alcoholic partner Tom Fleming, her self-pitying on-off boyfriend Robbie and her often less than supportive superior officers; not least of whom is Assistant Police Commissioner Jane Wilson, who also happens to be Lucy’s mother.
The body of a man washed ashore on the banks of the River Foyle turns out to be not just dead but embalmed. This highly unusual episode is just the kick-start to a complex and fast-paced thriller. Hardly a word is wasted.
Brian McGilloway’s plotting is intricate and immaculate. As in previous novels, seemingly disparate and unconnected threads become woven together as the story reaches its climax. Again, his depiction of the Irish borderlands is unflinching. An area still bearing the scars of not-so-distant disputes and tragedies, where sectarian divides still run deep; mostly now manifested in growing social deprivation and business corruption.
There are so many enjoyable qualities to the writing that raise the novel way above any run-of-the-mill police procedural.
The body of a man washed ashore on the banks of the River Foyle turns out to be not just dead but embalmed. This highly unusual episode is just the kick-start to a complex and fast-paced thriller. Hardly a word is wasted.
Brian McGilloway’s plotting is intricate and immaculate. As in previous novels, seemingly disparate and unconnected threads become woven together as the story reaches its climax. Again, his depiction of the Irish borderlands is unflinching. An area still bearing the scars of not-so-distant disputes and tragedies, where sectarian divides still run deep; mostly now manifested in growing social deprivation and business corruption.
There are so many enjoyable qualities to the writing that raise the novel way above any run-of-the-mill police procedural.
December 31, 2015
“The Forgotten Ones” by Brian McGilloway
Another solid installment in the Lucy Black series!
As the third Lucy Black chapter opens, we find Lucy dealing with her father’s deeper slide into the abyss of Alzheimer’s and his admittance into a home. Lucy’s lover is pressuring her to make a stronger commitment to their relationship and of course there is Lucy’s warm and fuzzy mother to contend with.
But, all the personal drama gets pushed into the background as a puzzling case or two, or three, all seemingly random and separate, keeps Lucy on her toes. As she gleans more information in each case, the threads slowly begin to weave together, unbelievably connecting these crimes to one another.
I will confess I loved the first two books in this series, set in Ireland, and I was stoked about diving into this new installment. But, I struggled for a bit as the story seemed disjointed with too many threads going on at once. Lucy wasn’t using her skills to their fullest potential, in my opinion. But, I stuck with it and before long I realized there was a method to all the madness. Once again, there is a very clever plot afoot, but Lucy’s sharp detective skills are second to none.
Lucy exposes more of her softer side in this one, and the atmosphere, while ghoulish, didn’t feel quite as dark, as the first two books in the series. However, this is a very unique and twisty story that I highly recommend to fans of Lucy Black. For those who have not read the previous chapters in the series, you will greatly benefit from reading them before diving into this one. However, this book can work as a standalone. 4 stars.
Reviewed by Julie Whiteley for Suspense Magazine
Another solid installment in the Lucy Black series!
As the third Lucy Black chapter opens, we find Lucy dealing with her father’s deeper slide into the abyss of Alzheimer’s and his admittance into a home. Lucy’s lover is pressuring her to make a stronger commitment to their relationship and of course there is Lucy’s warm and fuzzy mother to contend with.
But, all the personal drama gets pushed into the background as a puzzling case or two, or three, all seemingly random and separate, keeps Lucy on her toes. As she gleans more information in each case, the threads slowly begin to weave together, unbelievably connecting these crimes to one another.
I will confess I loved the first two books in this series, set in Ireland, and I was stoked about diving into this new installment. But, I struggled for a bit as the story seemed disjointed with too many threads going on at once. Lucy wasn’t using her skills to their fullest potential, in my opinion. But, I stuck with it and before long I realized there was a method to all the madness. Once again, there is a very clever plot afoot, but Lucy’s sharp detective skills are second to none.
Lucy exposes more of her softer side in this one, and the atmosphere, while ghoulish, didn’t feel quite as dark, as the first two books in the series. However, this is a very unique and twisty story that I highly recommend to fans of Lucy Black. For those who have not read the previous chapters in the series, you will greatly benefit from reading them before diving into this one. However, this book can work as a standalone. 4 stars.
Reviewed by Julie Whiteley for Suspense Magazine
August 27, 2015
This was the first book that I have read in the DS Lucy Black series. I admit that at first, I was a bit confused with all of the crimes going on. But I quickly get my bearings and thoroughly enjoyed this book. Maybe if I had read books 1 & 2, I things would have gone smoother.
I enjoyed the character of Lucy, she is a caring police officer. Her partner was also good. They made for a interesting police mystery. Reading the first two books are in my plans so I can understand more of the background story.
If police mysteries are your type of reads, you must read this one!
* I received an ARC from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the character of Lucy, she is a caring police officer. Her partner was also good. They made for a interesting police mystery. Reading the first two books are in my plans so I can understand more of the background story.
If police mysteries are your type of reads, you must read this one!
* I received an ARC from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2015
Another excellent book from Brian McGilloway focusing on DS Lucy Black. This is the third episode for her and the fine balance of main characters and it shows her development as a police officer and a person. That the author can take her on such a journey is a credit to his skills and ability to tell a good story. The plot here is about identity most obviously when the wrong body appears to have been cremated. Otherwise it is seen in her relationships with her parents; quite moving in that as she fears her Dad is losing his memories, her Mother appears to become closer. The author also explores who we are in terms of worth in a plot that exploits the homeless and the most vulnerable; the suppressed personality in terms of abusive relationships and who's there for a young women when she turns 16 and outgrows the care system.
These are the multilayers that add colour and tone to McGilloway's work and why I enjoy Brian's writing so much.
Within the novel this rich blend is supported by fine language and gentle plot development in what is basically a police proceedural. But ability of the author to weave his plot between human interest to criminal depravity means the thrills are exciting and the reality chilling.
Above all he takes us on a journey to Derry and fills his book with wonderful descriptions and a hope of renewal for both the place and his character Lucy Black.
A great story of exploitation and corruption; from the con of an old lady to the fraud of public money. I loved it and recommend it unreservedly.
These are the multilayers that add colour and tone to McGilloway's work and why I enjoy Brian's writing so much.
Within the novel this rich blend is supported by fine language and gentle plot development in what is basically a police proceedural. But ability of the author to weave his plot between human interest to criminal depravity means the thrills are exciting and the reality chilling.
Above all he takes us on a journey to Derry and fills his book with wonderful descriptions and a hope of renewal for both the place and his character Lucy Black.
A great story of exploitation and corruption; from the con of an old lady to the fraud of public money. I loved it and recommend it unreservedly.
November 25, 2015
Full review to follow.
July 7, 2020
Questo terzo episodio mi è sembrato decisamente il migliore; Lucy inizia timidi tentativi di riavvicinamento alla madre, mentre la mente del padre sembra cadere sempre di più nell'oblio. La storia è meglio congegnata anche se ancora la trama "gialla" risulta essere debole. In ogni caso, una buona lettura estiva.
April 18, 2016
Review: THE FORGOTTEN ONES by Brian McGilloway
Detective Sergeant Lucy Black returns, this time investigating a duo of official cases, and sneaking in a burglary case for a friend--not to mention a domestic violence situation which promises violence in the making. Author Brian McGilloway exposes crime and police procedure in the city of Derry, Ireland, and reading any of his mysteries educates in terms of Irish geography, culture, and recent history
Detective Sergeant Lucy Black returns, this time investigating a duo of official cases, and sneaking in a burglary case for a friend--not to mention a domestic violence situation which promises violence in the making. Author Brian McGilloway exposes crime and police procedure in the city of Derry, Ireland, and reading any of his mysteries educates in terms of Irish geography, culture, and recent history
November 20, 2024
Starts well but ends up like a recipe with all the right ingredients mixed in disproportionate amounts. The Northern Irish setting is inconsequential and the characters fairly uninteresting despite some complexity. Not really terrible but not really worth the effort either.
September 12, 2015
In Preserve the Dead DS Lucy Black is living on her own in her father’s house while he is at the Gransha Hospital suffering with Alzheimer’s, she is in a relationship with Robbie but following an accident in the last book, which Lucy blames herself for, she is unsure whether this relationship is based on love or guilt.
When Lucy is called to pull a dead body out of the water it doesn’t take a pathologist to tell her that this body has already been embalmed, but who would organise a funeral and then dump the body? And so starts a series of interconnecting mysteries that kept me totally entertained throughout this book.
Although Lucy’s personal life features in Preserve the Dead there isn’t so much detail that it overshadows the crimes being investigated. As is often the case in a police procedural there are some tensions within the team, but these details are inserted with the lightest of touches, which makes for a much better reading experience than those writers who lay these issues on with a trowel, after all Brian McGilloway has far meatier subjects to delight us with including exploitation of the poor and domestic abuse – we really don’t need endless petty squabbles to pad this book out with! Although there is a relatively high body count, the murders aren’t depicted in a gruesome manner, so that the impression given is that this story is much more about the who and why than violence dressed up as entertainment.
Set in Derry, Ireland the author gives the reader enough details of the culture of the area, although this story or its detection isn’t dependent on this particular setting, that we get a feeling of the kind of community that our characters inhabit. And what a mixed bunch the characters are, ranging in age from childhood to old-age, from those who are flawed but do their best to help others to those that are downright rotten and plenty that fall somewhere in the middle. I find this eclectic mix of characters not only makes for a better reading experience, it is far easier to follow when the characters are distinct, but also gives a sense of authenticity to the storyline.
If all this talk of characters and style of writing leaves you wondering, yes the plot is fantastic, the mysteries are ingeniously tied together and solved in the main by good old-fashioned police work which is intensely satisfying.
I highly recommend this book and Brian McGilloway is definitely an Irish author that I will be reading more of especially if it features the strong but sensitive Lucy Black.
I’d like to thank the publishers Little Brown Book Group for allowing me to read a copy of this book which was published on 6 August 2015.
When Lucy is called to pull a dead body out of the water it doesn’t take a pathologist to tell her that this body has already been embalmed, but who would organise a funeral and then dump the body? And so starts a series of interconnecting mysteries that kept me totally entertained throughout this book.
Although Lucy’s personal life features in Preserve the Dead there isn’t so much detail that it overshadows the crimes being investigated. As is often the case in a police procedural there are some tensions within the team, but these details are inserted with the lightest of touches, which makes for a much better reading experience than those writers who lay these issues on with a trowel, after all Brian McGilloway has far meatier subjects to delight us with including exploitation of the poor and domestic abuse – we really don’t need endless petty squabbles to pad this book out with! Although there is a relatively high body count, the murders aren’t depicted in a gruesome manner, so that the impression given is that this story is much more about the who and why than violence dressed up as entertainment.
Set in Derry, Ireland the author gives the reader enough details of the culture of the area, although this story or its detection isn’t dependent on this particular setting, that we get a feeling of the kind of community that our characters inhabit. And what a mixed bunch the characters are, ranging in age from childhood to old-age, from those who are flawed but do their best to help others to those that are downright rotten and plenty that fall somewhere in the middle. I find this eclectic mix of characters not only makes for a better reading experience, it is far easier to follow when the characters are distinct, but also gives a sense of authenticity to the storyline.
If all this talk of characters and style of writing leaves you wondering, yes the plot is fantastic, the mysteries are ingeniously tied together and solved in the main by good old-fashioned police work which is intensely satisfying.
I highly recommend this book and Brian McGilloway is definitely an Irish author that I will be reading more of especially if it features the strong but sensitive Lucy Black.
I’d like to thank the publishers Little Brown Book Group for allowing me to read a copy of this book which was published on 6 August 2015.
July 31, 2015
First of all I would just like to thank the publisher and author
for a free copy of this book for a honest review via netgalley.
This is a new author for me and when i read the blog i really liked the sound
of the book but i really struggled to get into it! I have to say tho from about 60% i got really into it and just wanted to keep reading
Lucy Black goes to visit her dad, who is a patient in a secure unit. She is shocked
to find her dad is handcuffed to the bed and has bruises on his body. Before she could raise the alarm
she gets a call where a body is found in the river. When she goes to the scene she retrieves the body to find the man as
is clearly dead but has already been embalmed.
As Lucy tries to find out who the man is and how he ended up in the river comes a strain as its not the person they thought. As Lucy and the team uncover one person it leads to another and another and they try and find the link.
I really took to Lucy and sort of felt sorry for her. I will miss the character. Hopefully will read other books from this author
for a free copy of this book for a honest review via netgalley.
This is a new author for me and when i read the blog i really liked the sound
of the book but i really struggled to get into it! I have to say tho from about 60% i got really into it and just wanted to keep reading
Lucy Black goes to visit her dad, who is a patient in a secure unit. She is shocked
to find her dad is handcuffed to the bed and has bruises on his body. Before she could raise the alarm
she gets a call where a body is found in the river. When she goes to the scene she retrieves the body to find the man as
is clearly dead but has already been embalmed.
As Lucy tries to find out who the man is and how he ended up in the river comes a strain as its not the person they thought. As Lucy and the team uncover one person it leads to another and another and they try and find the link.
I really took to Lucy and sort of felt sorry for her. I will miss the character. Hopefully will read other books from this author
May 25, 2018
A group had gathered by the river edge, mostly dressed in either blue or white scrubs, suggesting that they were mostly staff from the hospital. Not only was the victim already dead before he went in the water, he had already been embalmed.
December 8, 2015
Superb as usual from Derry author Brian McGilloway..Hope to see Devlin back soon though in his other series of books..Highly recommend.
May 9, 2018
In un’Irlanda ancora non del tutto pacificata, la detective Lucy Black si occupa di reati minorili e crimini domestici, almeno finché non si ritrova coinvolta, suo malgrado, in una serie di omicidi apparentemente non collegati, ma di cui si deve occupare a causa della mancanza di personale dovuta alle sommosse nel Nord.
Il primo morto lo ripesca quasi per caso, mentre sta visitando il padre in ospedale; il secondo sembrerebbe frutto di un tragico incidente, ma, dal terzo in poi, diventa palese che qualcosa di brutto sta succedendo in città.
Tuttavia, cosa può collegare i decessi di persone che non hanno praticamente nulla in comune? Oltre a cercare un filo conduttore, Lucy dovrà anche occuparsi dei casi soliti della sua unità e dunque la sorella della vicina con un compagno violento, il furto nell’abitazione di un’anziana signora, in cui potrebbe essere implicata una minore, e, infine, una prostituta troppo giovane perchè la detective possa lasciarla sulla strada.
Ma saranno davvero fatti casuali? Oppure sono pezzi di un rompicapo che Lucy dovrà assolutamente risolvere?
Premetto che amo i gialli e che questo è scritto davvero bene.
La prima parte scorre piuttosto lenta, non afferra il lettore come dovrebbe, tenendolo inchiodato fino all’ultima pagina. Del resto, ultimamente è un cliché assodato quello di sommergere il detective di turno con due o tre casi che, alla fine, risulteranno collegati e pertanto si risolveranno in contemporanea. Questo il lettore lo sa, perciò, già a metà libro, può intuire, senza tema di smentite, come si evolverà la trama.
Questo, lasciatemelo dire, non rende interessante la lettura… un pò come sapere che l’assassino è sempre il maggiordomo.
Invece, a sorpresa, la seconda parte diventa molto più avvincente, in un crescendo di colpi di scena che non mi sarei aspettata.
In definitiva, non lo si può considerare un brutto prodotto, ma un giallo commerciale, non eccelso, ma in grado di donare ore piacevoli al lettore che voglia anche una componente piuttosto ampia di “dramma sociale”.
Come sempre, auguro a tutti voi buona lettura!
Il primo morto lo ripesca quasi per caso, mentre sta visitando il padre in ospedale; il secondo sembrerebbe frutto di un tragico incidente, ma, dal terzo in poi, diventa palese che qualcosa di brutto sta succedendo in città.
Tuttavia, cosa può collegare i decessi di persone che non hanno praticamente nulla in comune? Oltre a cercare un filo conduttore, Lucy dovrà anche occuparsi dei casi soliti della sua unità e dunque la sorella della vicina con un compagno violento, il furto nell’abitazione di un’anziana signora, in cui potrebbe essere implicata una minore, e, infine, una prostituta troppo giovane perchè la detective possa lasciarla sulla strada.
Ma saranno davvero fatti casuali? Oppure sono pezzi di un rompicapo che Lucy dovrà assolutamente risolvere?
Premetto che amo i gialli e che questo è scritto davvero bene.
La prima parte scorre piuttosto lenta, non afferra il lettore come dovrebbe, tenendolo inchiodato fino all’ultima pagina. Del resto, ultimamente è un cliché assodato quello di sommergere il detective di turno con due o tre casi che, alla fine, risulteranno collegati e pertanto si risolveranno in contemporanea. Questo il lettore lo sa, perciò, già a metà libro, può intuire, senza tema di smentite, come si evolverà la trama.
Questo, lasciatemelo dire, non rende interessante la lettura… un pò come sapere che l’assassino è sempre il maggiordomo.
Invece, a sorpresa, la seconda parte diventa molto più avvincente, in un crescendo di colpi di scena che non mi sarei aspettata.
In definitiva, non lo si può considerare un brutto prodotto, ma un giallo commerciale, non eccelso, ma in grado di donare ore piacevoli al lettore che voglia anche una componente piuttosto ampia di “dramma sociale”.
Come sempre, auguro a tutti voi buona lettura!
July 23, 2017
Just when I thought I was getting burnt out on the crime/mystery books, this story managed to reel me back in.
I think one of the things that's really stood out for me so far is how much the main character, DS Lucy Black, has grown in the last three books. The progress she has made both in her job and in her personal life. I find myself applauding her accomplishments and sometimes wanting to smack her in the head because I am actually invested in her development now. Though, she does seem to always go into place alone, instead of waiting for backup like she should, which ends up getting her into trouble. EVERY SINGLE TIME. It's like, when will she learn already?
This book also had a few triggers for me, domestic abuse and such, but I was glad I was able to push through it because the story line was actually really interesting. One thing I really like about this author is how he manages to tie everything together. 2 or 3 seemingly unrelated cases suddenly intersect into one large case that takes you by surprise.
There is still a lot of detail in this book, which I think is part of the authors writing style, which is great. It helps me to really set the scene and get to know the characters a bit better to the point where I already have my favorites and the ones I think need to go bye bye. However, it sometimes can feel like there is a bit too much description, especially right in the middle of a major scene, that you just want to skim through to get to the good stuff. If that makes sense.
All in all, I am really liking this series. So I rate this 4 out of 5 stars!
I think one of the things that's really stood out for me so far is how much the main character, DS Lucy Black, has grown in the last three books. The progress she has made both in her job and in her personal life. I find myself applauding her accomplishments and sometimes wanting to smack her in the head because I am actually invested in her development now. Though, she does seem to always go into place alone, instead of waiting for backup like she should, which ends up getting her into trouble. EVERY SINGLE TIME. It's like, when will she learn already?
This book also had a few triggers for me, domestic abuse and such, but I was glad I was able to push through it because the story line was actually really interesting. One thing I really like about this author is how he manages to tie everything together. 2 or 3 seemingly unrelated cases suddenly intersect into one large case that takes you by surprise.
There is still a lot of detail in this book, which I think is part of the authors writing style, which is great. It helps me to really set the scene and get to know the characters a bit better to the point where I already have my favorites and the ones I think need to go bye bye. However, it sometimes can feel like there is a bit too much description, especially right in the middle of a major scene, that you just want to skim through to get to the good stuff. If that makes sense.
All in all, I am really liking this series. So I rate this 4 out of 5 stars!
June 5, 2017
Wonderfully, confusingly written...
... and a pleasure nonetheless. But, there are SO many characters that many, many, many pages are the characters just summing everything up for everyone else at the table (us): "So, if Haynes met Nash at Nash's brother's soup kitchen he asked Flemming for a ride to the river where Fiona recognized Grace and attacked Ellen. Ellen, who was really a man, had a lot of anger at Nash, Fleming, Dodson and Mrs. Burke, so when Haynes recognized Fiona he killed Grace making it look like Ellen was his cousin from his second marriage to Foster's first wife, Mrs. Drapp, who was cremated in Bill's coffin instead of Fiona's sister, Mr. Moneypenny..." The story(ies) is/are solid, but it's six books in one and could have been ABOUT less, with fewer PEOPLE representing aspects of... I'm exhausted. But, I kept reading. I like Lucy, though everyone she interacts with dies and I'm not sure she's unique or strong enough a character to build even one book around, much less a series. But, the author's such a wonderful writer, you eventually stop trying to remember who in god's name everybody IS and just let the comforting prose and the central character's essential goodness carry you along... I'll read the next one, but just hope there aren't SO MANY PEOPLE involved.
... and a pleasure nonetheless. But, there are SO many characters that many, many, many pages are the characters just summing everything up for everyone else at the table (us): "So, if Haynes met Nash at Nash's brother's soup kitchen he asked Flemming for a ride to the river where Fiona recognized Grace and attacked Ellen. Ellen, who was really a man, had a lot of anger at Nash, Fleming, Dodson and Mrs. Burke, so when Haynes recognized Fiona he killed Grace making it look like Ellen was his cousin from his second marriage to Foster's first wife, Mrs. Drapp, who was cremated in Bill's coffin instead of Fiona's sister, Mr. Moneypenny..." The story(ies) is/are solid, but it's six books in one and could have been ABOUT less, with fewer PEOPLE representing aspects of... I'm exhausted. But, I kept reading. I like Lucy, though everyone she interacts with dies and I'm not sure she's unique or strong enough a character to build even one book around, much less a series. But, the author's such a wonderful writer, you eventually stop trying to remember who in god's name everybody IS and just let the comforting prose and the central character's essential goodness carry you along... I'll read the next one, but just hope there aren't SO MANY PEOPLE involved.
February 1, 2021
It’s all about money, exploitation and control.
This is the third in the DS Lucy Black series. Lucy is visiting her father in his care home when she is alerted to a body floating in the river that runs by the grounds. Closer inspection shows that this body has already been embalmed and has been dumped in the river. DS Lucy Black and her partner, Fleming are tasked with finding out who he was and how his body came to be dumped in this way.
In the story that follows, the body count quickly rises and many of the victims seem to be homeless. This novel is about police procedure on one hand and a lust for money, exploitation and control on the other.
It is a thrilling, well told story, full of unexpected twists and turns. It reintroduces the reader to some characters from previous books - as well as some hateful and despicable characters central to this story.
It is, once again a novel that you will be driven to read - but this time the focus is on the exploitation and control of the victims.
This is the third in the DS Lucy Black series. Lucy is visiting her father in his care home when she is alerted to a body floating in the river that runs by the grounds. Closer inspection shows that this body has already been embalmed and has been dumped in the river. DS Lucy Black and her partner, Fleming are tasked with finding out who he was and how his body came to be dumped in this way.
In the story that follows, the body count quickly rises and many of the victims seem to be homeless. This novel is about police procedure on one hand and a lust for money, exploitation and control on the other.
It is a thrilling, well told story, full of unexpected twists and turns. It reintroduces the reader to some characters from previous books - as well as some hateful and despicable characters central to this story.
It is, once again a novel that you will be driven to read - but this time the focus is on the exploitation and control of the victims.
March 7, 2020
I've now read three of the DS Lucy Black crime novels, set in Derry (Londerry) Northern Ireland. I wish the promo for the books wouldn't call them thrillers, because to my mind they're more traditional crime/mystery/detective novels. I think that's just fine.
This book had an interesting catalyst, which was that a dead body found in a river had been embalmed. So why was the body placed in the river? Solving that unusual mystery connects to the other cases the PPU and CID are working on.
I like DS Lucy Black, although in her personal life she's not very content. Her relationship with her mother, who's the ACC, is improving, though, and that's a plus. But things with her social worker boyfriend, Robbie, are not good, and matters come to a head between them by the end.
I'm looking forward to the next one in the series, BAD BLOOD.
This book had an interesting catalyst, which was that a dead body found in a river had been embalmed. So why was the body placed in the river? Solving that unusual mystery connects to the other cases the PPU and CID are working on.
I like DS Lucy Black, although in her personal life she's not very content. Her relationship with her mother, who's the ACC, is improving, though, and that's a plus. But things with her social worker boyfriend, Robbie, are not good, and matters come to a head between them by the end.
I'm looking forward to the next one in the series, BAD BLOOD.
May 29, 2018
Third in the Lucy Black series, but my introduction to it. Seems to stand alone. There was enough background info. to bring me up to speed without slowing or overwhelming the story.
Well-paced with occasional bursts of suspense. Methodical day-by-day police investigation begining with a body discovered already embalmed in a river. Gathers a few apparently separate plots neatly into one by the end. Perhaps a little too neatly, but this is fiction and some devices must be allowed.
Description and character development well-handled. Tone maintained throughout. Structure keeps things moving a pace. Another good front porch or hammock read for warm spring afternoons. Easily recommended.
Well-paced with occasional bursts of suspense. Methodical day-by-day police investigation begining with a body discovered already embalmed in a river. Gathers a few apparently separate plots neatly into one by the end. Perhaps a little too neatly, but this is fiction and some devices must be allowed.
Description and character development well-handled. Tone maintained throughout. Structure keeps things moving a pace. Another good front porch or hammock read for warm spring afternoons. Easily recommended.
November 8, 2025
I have never read this genre before, and it took me a while to get into it. Admittedly this is book 3 of a series but it was picked up at a charity shop and I liked the blurb.
I wasn’t sure if I would continue reading from the genre after this book, but the more I read (and since it’s a thriller the chapters are short and the pages fast - so you really do power through it!) the more I became engrossed in the multiple threads set up. It becomes very enjoyable seeing the jigsaw get pieced together, slowly at first but then quicker and quicker, with some top tier cliff hangers along the way. I really enjoyed the pacing and I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series to see how Lucy’s life progressed after this book - very enjoyable!
I wasn’t sure if I would continue reading from the genre after this book, but the more I read (and since it’s a thriller the chapters are short and the pages fast - so you really do power through it!) the more I became engrossed in the multiple threads set up. It becomes very enjoyable seeing the jigsaw get pieced together, slowly at first but then quicker and quicker, with some top tier cliff hangers along the way. I really enjoyed the pacing and I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series to see how Lucy’s life progressed after this book - very enjoyable!
June 24, 2017
I enjoyed being back in the company of Lucy Black and Tom Fleming, along with the dicey relationship between Lucy and her ACC mother. This time Lucy investigates a body that turns up in a river only to discover it should have been cremated and no one knows who the person was who was actually cremated instead. As usual the story continues to deliver a long string of other murders and eventually connects it all together at the end. Thoroughly enjoyable good crime caper!
May 28, 2018
Bought while on cheap offer from Amazon. 3rd in series but luckily works as a stand alone and has enough background info interpolated into the plot. Original and complex mystery plot and likeable characters with work/family/relationship issues which are not so original.
Enjoyed it sufficiently to buy the 1st in the series now.
Enjoyed it sufficiently to buy the 1st in the series now.
June 8, 2018
This is the second Lucy Black novel I have read. I like these books as the events seem true to life. Lucy black is a normal young policewoman who does her job to the best of her ability; she doesn't have a black belt in karate and leap from high buildings. Enjoyable story in which one cared about the characters.
September 29, 2021
I wasn't familiar with either this author or the series. I wish I could say that it held my interest enough for me to keep reading it in longer stretches. I liked the characters and thought they were well drawn, but I found some of the sentence structure awkward, more the fault of the editor than the author. Since most readers appear to enjoy this author and series, I will give it another try.
July 2, 2020
It was okay but i didn't love it. I feel the book was too slow and boring part and I feel it would be better if the book was a few page shorter. the cover of book was one biggest turn off and I think the characters need bit more developed and I would like more time with side characters.
January 22, 2022
An easy and simplistic murder mystery which begins when a body is washed up on the shore of a river. The body appears to have already been autopsied and embalmed so why or how has it turned up in that way? This book certainly wouldn't give you nightmares but it's an interesting read.
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