Final Verdict

Cavendish & Walker #6

by Sally Rigby, Clare Corbett (Narrator)

The judge has spoken……everyone must die.

When a killer starts murdering lawyers in a prestigious law firm, and every lead takes them to a dead end, DCI Whitney Walker finds herself grappling for a motive.

What links these deaths, and why use a lethal injection?

Alongside forensic psychologist, Dr Georgina Cavendish, they close in on the killer, while all the time trying to not let their personal lives get in the way of the investigation.

For fans of Rachel Abbott, Mark Dawson and M A Comley, Final Verdict is the sixth in the Cavendish & Walker series. A fast paced murder mystery which will keep you guessing.

Genres: Audiobook, Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Procedural, Thriller, Detective

Audible Audio

Published October 6, 2020

About the author

Sally Rigby was born in Northampton, in the UK. She has always had the travel bug, and after living in both Manchester and London, eventually moved overseas. From 2001 she has lived with her family in New Zealand, which she considers to be the most beautiful place in the world. During this time she also lived for five years in Australia. Sally has always loved crime fiction books, films and TV programmes, and has a particular fascination with the psychology of serial killers.

Reviews

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*A matter of the heart*

**4.5 Stars**

This instalment sees DCI Whitney Walker & Forensic Psychologist Dr. Georgina Cavendish (Aka George) on a case where it looks like the victim has had a heart attack but Whitney’s favourite Forensic Pathologist Dr. Claire Dexter who continues to wear clashing and mismatched clothing, which no one dares to question due to her terse manner has a very keen eye and spots an injection site. When the toxicology report comes back, it shows it was a lethal injection.

More victims follow with the same form of death. One thing they all have in common is the victims all belong to the same prestigious law firm and as they try to unpick the case all roads lead to a dead end until they eventually get a break in the case.

What triggered the murders? The suspect has a score to settle and feels it is justifiable. When the suspect gets caught with a potential victim the reason behind it is terribly sad.

A great case, I was so engrossed as Sally Rigby seems to grab my interest from the first page, I read and listened to this one Clare Corbett’s narration is great.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Sally has written an excellent story about members of a law firm being killed by lethal injection. There are a few possible suspects along the way, but I must admit the actual perpetrator, when finally revealed, was not one I saw coming.
The friendship between Whitney and George keeps getting stronger with George now more willing to share her feelings and problems with Whitney.
I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

[HornFan2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free advance ARC from the author for my honest review. 'Final Verdict', is another great addition to the Cavendish & Walker series, with yet another fast pace, twist and turn read, with a little trickery added in and real life mixed in.

This one is different, you have a distraught person who loses a loved one, then takes something so easily available that causes almost instant death and goes on a vengeance trail seeking revenge for their lose.

What's really making this a great series, is how the Author Sally Rigby has grown the relationship between DCI Whitney Walker and Dr. Georgia Cavendish, with each installment and it makes it more entertaining the banter from them.

Definitely a worthy author and series to read, like that with each installment, Sally adds some new elements to the storyline and it's just not the same storyline with each installment to the Cavendish and Walker Series.

[Tony Hisgett · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story wasn’t going that badly and I was quite content to keep going, but then came George’s problem at the university. I realise this is a weird reason for disliking a book, but the author really annoyed me and this affected my enjoyment of the rest of the book.
The University have made it absolutely clear they do not value or respect George, the excuse she occasionally works with the police is absolute rubbish, any university would want their lecturers to have real world credibility. What really annoyed me was Whitney’s advice was to ‘Grin and bear it!’ They are both meant to be a strong confident career orientated women and the author decided that the reaction to this professional insult is to do nothing.
As for the investigation it wasn’t bad, but at the end I wasn’t convinced by the perpetrator and their reasons for multiple murders.

[Black Butterfly · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 ½ *stars REALLY
THIS WAS NOT A TERRIBLE READ BUT THE CHARACTERS JUST HAD TOO MANY PERSONAL PROBLEMS, I GOT SICK OF HEARING ABOUT THEM. THERE WERE MORE PERSONAL PROBLEMS THAN DETECTING WORK, THEY CLOUDED THE STORYLINE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS. ;<

[Mick Dubois · Rating 5 out of 5]

With this 6th volume in her police procedural series, Sally Rigby gets even better than ever.
The main characters all have their own private worries. Whitney’s daughter is in Australia and her mother, who’s in a care home because of dementia, has a lump in her breast and it’s a long wait before they get the test results. George’s boyfriend proposed to her but she’s not sure if she’s ready for that sort of commitment. On top of that, her good-for-nothing ex-boyfriend jumped over her head at work. And Claire, the grumpy pathologist has been offered a new job.
But they soon have something else to worry about when a young lawyer in perfect health dies of what looks like a heart attack. That heart attack was brought on by injection with potassium chloride (the drug used in lethal injections). The man is described as a perfect husband and father, an excellent colleague and boss. Literally nobody has a bad word to say about the man. But nobody can be that perfect, can they?
Not much later, a second victim killed in an identical way is found in an all-female gym. She works for the same law firm. Can the killer be a woman? The detective and the doctor have more than enough on their plate now that Lenchester seems to be a serial killer hotspot.
Luckily the dynamic between them both has been very productive in the past, so why would that change? But there’s quite some difference between this 6th story and the first one as the characters have grown in their roles and seem much more confident. Not only George and Whitney, but also the supporting characters come a bit more to live with every new book. We also get a little more background of some detectives. I think that’s great and I could do with much more.
I’ve got but one complaint, the book was too short.
I got a free ARC from the author, this is my honest, unbiased review.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Final Verdict is the latest book in Sally Rigby’s series of Cavendish and Walker police procedurals slash psychological murder mysteries.

As previously, the story alternates between Whitney and George’s view points and occasionally the murderer’s. We also get further insights into Whitney and George’s personal lives and working lives. *A warning though that there are huge spoilers here for at least one other book in the series so if you haven’t read them, please start at the beginning.

In Final Verdict, a killer stalks the staff of a local legal firm and Whitney and George work methodically together with Whitney’s team to uncover sleazy dealings, sexual misdemeanours and vengeful motives. I must admit that I do wish Whitney didn’t have quite such a big chip on her shoulder and that George wasn’t quite so robotic; it can make the two characters appear one-dimensional and predictable at points.

The plot is well-structured and clues and red herrings abound. I like seeing the relationships developing between the members of Whitney’s team and how she manages the personal issues she has in this book, making her more rounded and human.If you have enjoyed the previous books in Sally Rigby‘s series, you will love Final Verdict. If you’ve not yet discovered the Cavendish and Walker books, do yourself a favour and get stuck in. Many of the books are currently on sale or available free on Kindle unlimited!

Thank you to Sally Rigby for my copy of Final Verdict and to Emma Welton of #damppebblestours for my spot.

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another interesting story in this very good series, and long may these ladies continue. I really enjoy their partnership, although I must say I don't think we saw enough of George in this story. I'm a big fan of the "ear-piece scenes" she does with Whitney interviewing suspects and we only had one of those this time out. She didn't really seem to be contributing as much in this one, though she did have other things on her mind, too......
I also like Claire a great deal and I've always wanted to learn more about her. She's a very intriguing character, I think, and she sounded very down in this episode, still as spiky, but even more unhappy than she usually is......
Once again we get to see what's occurring in the police personnel's private lives which I always enjoy, as after 6 books now I've come to know them all pretty well.
I suppose the murder series came a second place for me this time out though I was certainly left guessing the whole way and didn't figure out whodunnit' ! I whizzed through this in under 24 hours so it kept me entertained for sure.
The author kindly sent me over an advanced release copy and any errors or things I don't like I've shared with her off-site, the least I can do. I'm hoping she's busy on number 7 now !!

[Judy Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sally has done it again. Another intriguing case solved by Walker and Cavendish. They followed the clues and also dealt with personal problems. Lots of twist, that keept you wondering who was behind the murders.

[Kellie Cockcroft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sally Rigby continues to write fantastic plots driven by characters the reader gets totally behind. Cavendish and Walker are a great team and the way Sally plots the murders and has the characters solve them, grips me from the very beginning.
I say this everything a Cavendish and Walker book draws to a close, but I really don't want this series to ever end!
Supurb Audible narration as always too 👌

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cumberland Court care home. DCI Whitney Walker (daughter/sister, Lenchester CID) went to see Lorraine (CC mgr.).
DCI Walker’s mother (65, Dementia) had been taken to a breast care clinic for some tests.
Dr. Claire Dexter (forensic pathologist) informed DCI Walker, Julian Lyons (49, husband/father, Jr. partner, Hadleigh & Partners corporate, lawyer) was found dead at his workplace. He was injected with Potassium chloride. It could have been suicide also.
Dr. Georgina “George” Cavendish (Lenchester U Sr. lecturer, forensic psychologist) was called for her input also.

Incident room. Doug, Sue, Matt, Frank, Ellie, Terry had been assigned their daily tasks.
Jeremy Lyons (H & P partner) is Victim # 1.
DCI Walker & Dr. Cavendish went to interview Fiona Lyons.
Hadleigh & Partners. DCI Walker & DS Matt Price (research guru) interviewed Rupert Lister (Sr. H & P corporate), Debbie (Julian’s secretary), Lee Peters (Sr. H & P associate), & Tegan Thorpe (25+,
Julian’s ex-mistress, H & P property dept. secretary), Sasha Dene (Julian’s ex-mistress, lawyer, Wilson, & Burt firm, Leicester East Midlands England), Lewis Evans (Sasha’s ex-BF, independent IT consultant, Lenchester Hospital IT), Brent Yates (Carly’s partner),
DCI Walker & Dr. Cavendish we’re here regarding the death of Carly Connor (Victim # 2 Hadleigh & Partners HR) this AM.
Dee (mgr.), Sharon (trainee instructor), Jeri (wife/mother, cleaner), Amelia Harte (H & P managing partner), Geraint Jones (Carly’s 2nd in command), Lizzie (Carly’s asst), were interviewed.
Erin Boyd was victim # 3.
Lee Peters was found dead at his desk this AM.
DCI Walker & Dr. Cavendish went to interview Ruby Peters.
Tim Collins (27, Hadleigh & Partners paralegal, bass guitar) was the next victim.

Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material (rape, verbal/mental/physical/sexual abuse) which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.

An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written serial killer murder mystery book. It was extremely easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great serial killer murder mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an amazingly easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author (s); Top Drawer Press; BookDaily; BookBub; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book

[Julie Morris]

Although this is the sixth book in the Cavendish and Walker series, it is my first book by this author and I was looking forward to reading it as it revolves around deaths in a law firm which is always a draw for me (not because I hate lawyers, per se, but because I used to be one!) I also was intrigued by the partnership between the police officer and forensic psychologist, rather than a police duo. I always enjoy the approach to a case by different disciplines.

The plot of the book was just as gripping as I would have wished. Lawyers are being knocked off one by one by someone who wants the murders to look like heart attacks, but the motive for the killings, and indeed any links between the victims is a mystery. The team are sent off down plenty of false paths before they start to close in on the real reason for the killings and who is doing it, which kept me on my toes throughout and racing through to the end to get the mystery solved.

The characters were well-developed and interesting enough to carry the book. I enjoyed the dynamic between Whitney and Georgina and how they rely on each other. the author also gives them interesting and complex personal lives and problems to navigate at the same time, which adds an extra dynamic to the story and presents them as fully rounded people. The minor characters were fun, especially the two squabbling DCs which added a bit of light relief from time to time.i’m not sure the portrayal of the lawyers is going to endear the profession to anyone who already has an aversion to them, the dastardly bunch were all pretty much begging to be bumped off!

I did have a couple of minor niggles with this book, I’m afraid. There were times, especially near the beginning before the author sets to settle in to her stride, where there was a little too much description of things that didn’t really move the story forward, such as people’s hairstyles, the furniture in rooms etc, and the pace of the book would have benefitted from some of this being trimmed back. It seemed to become less of an issue as the story went on. The other thing which grated a little was the dialogue; in a number of places it was far too formal, and did not feel at all natural. It did not come across as the way people actually talk, especially to people they know well, and I found it quite distracting in places. These are, however, matters of style and may not matter so much to others, and do not detract from the fact that this is an entertaining crime novel with an interesting and gripping plot.

This book was a fairly easy read and will definitely appeal to anyone who enjoys books with strong female leads, an lively partnership dynamic and a cunning crime to solve. it can definitely be read as standalone but I would like to go back and read the previous books to learn more about how the partnership has developed and to find out what happened in previous cases that are alluded to here.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a little confession to make. Although I have a couple of Sally's books on my ever increasing 'to be read' mountain, I haven't actually read one...….until now that is. When I was invited to take part in the blog tour for 'Final Verdict', I thought that it would be an ideal opportunity to acquaint myself with Sally's work. Having enjoyed reading 'Final Verdict' as much as I did, I am now rather cross with myself that I left it this long to discover how flipping fantastic an author, Sally Rigby is! I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Final Verdict' but more about that in a bit.
Oh my giddy aunt, 'Final Verdict' was one hell of a read and then some. I read the synopsis for 'Final Verdict' and it certainly sounded like the sort of crime novel I love to read. As soon as I started to read the story, that was it- I just knew that I wasn't going to be able to put this book to one side. I was immediately drawn into the story and I instantly took to DCI Whitney Walker, so I had to keep reading to see how the investigation panned out. I binge read 'Final Verdict' over the course of a single day. There was quite a lot going on in the story and I didn't want to put the book down for fear of missing something. For me, 'Final Verdict' is the true definition of an unputdownable page turner of a read. Once you start reading, you won't be able to stop.
'Final Verdict' is superbly written. I was blown away by how good the story was. For me, this book was perfectly paced- the story hit the ground running and maintained the fast pace throughout. 'Final Verdict' kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and Sally certainly kept me guessing. I thought that I had worked out who had done what and why, only to discover that I had the wrong end of the stick entirely. Reading 'Final Verdict' felt like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride. Just when you thought that you could take a breather, gather your thoughts and reclaim your stomach then the story took off again. I felt as though I was part of DCI Walker's team and therefore part of the story, which is down to Sally Rigby's fantastic writing.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Final Verdict' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I can guarantee that I will be reading more of Sally's work in the future- starting with the books I already have on my 'to be read' mountain and then I will be buying the other books in the series just as soon as I can. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read in the Walker and Cavendish series, and although I'd probably have a bit more insight into the characters having read the first few books, I don't think it is strictly necessary in order to understand the dynamic in play here, or to get the measure of the characters involved.

We join Walker at a difficult time in her personal life as she finds out something about her mother which plays on her mind during the investigation. In that sense if really helped me get a perspective of her, her family set up and her personality, rather then being all business and investigation. Cavendish also has a difficult decision to make and, even in. the short time I've known her, she seems to have made an impulsive and somewhat rash choice, in my opinion of course. None of this plays to the heart of the investigation, but it did distract both of the characters a little, whilst allowing new readers to he series, like me, understand them and what drives them a whole lot more.

The case itself if a perplexing one. A solicitor found head of a heart attack that may not be as innocent as it first seems. When it becomes clear that someone is targeting the firm he worked for, it is up to our intrepid duo to discover who and why. For a firm of solicitors I was surprised by how little assistance they seemed to want to give the police, their responses to questioning limited, leaving more than one of them seeming to have certainly the right personality to be capable of murder. But then, perhaps that is just the natural mistrust that comes from knowing all aspects of the law that made them reticent in sharing information. Certainly it was hard to feel sympathy towards the first victim the more we go to know him, but whilst the reasons for the murders were kept well hidden until near the end of the book, a few chapters told from the killers perspective do give the readers some kind of inkling.

This was a very quick read for me, completed in a few hours. I was intrigued by the story and wanted to learn more about the characters involved. Can't help thinking that aside from a minor victory scored in this book, life at work for George Cavendish may be about to get a little choppy. I'd certainly be interested to catch up on what has gone before and seeing what is to come next for this duo, and if you like a quick, character driven read, this is probably a good series for you.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, quick-read mystery with likable characters. Technically unbelievable murder method.

This is my third and lowest rated book of the series, but after perusing the high reviews, my believability problems SHOULD NOT affect most readers. “Final Verdict” can be read as a stand-alone, especially if you prefer the mystery storyline over characters and domestic drama. I like this series, because its characters carry the police procedural forward. However, most of the nuts-and-bolts character development took place in earlier books.

The serial murder storyline is complex, and although it’s a contemporary police procedural, this could be set in the 1980s, because it’s not heavily reliant on HOLMES, computers, smartphones, GPS tags of autos, etc.

2.5 stars, bumped up to 3. It took me 2 days to decide how to rate this book.



SPOILERS BELOW!

1. If you’re a crime fiction fan who likes to box-tick for culprit(s), put down your real or figurative pencils. Reveals of culprit and inciting incidents are nil until the book is 90% gone.

2. Murder method is NOT believable. Potassium Chloride (KCL) causes fatal cardiac rhythm changes, not heart attacks from blood vessel blockage.

3. How’d killer obtain large ampules of concentrated, hospital grade KCL? Need 5 or more for EACH victim—depending on concentration. I doubt it’s stocked on non-ICU hospital wards. So bought online? Industrial concentration?

4. Author seems to have killer erroneously inject KCL into muscle. How’d culprit stick a needle into a wide-awake victim? To give KCL in hospital, a LARGE bore needle is placed in a LARGE vein. Dose is calculated on victim’s weight. I’ll go with lethal injection dose of 100 mEq KCL, which is about 1/2 US cup* at 2 mEq/cc of hospital-grade. This fills a LARGE syringe or several smaller syringes. See 50 cc syringes available online. The entire dose—in this case and in lethal injections—is manually PUSHED into a vein—and I mean PUSH.

5. If killer injects concentrated KCL through smaller veins in arms, legs or neck—as with regular IVs—it’ll be VERY, VERY PAINFUL. Death sentence prisoners are heavily sedated (and paralyzed) before KCL is injected.

Enough said. I’ll skip problems with other murder aspects, several to do w the murderer.

*Yes, it’s confusing, but the USA does not use the Metric System. I know. I’ve heard it all before, as in you’re preaching to the choir.

[Roisin Shanahan · Rating 2 out of 5]

DCI Whitney Walker and Dr Georgina Cavendish investigate a series of murders within a law firm while also dealing with personal issues.

This is the second Cavendish and Walker book I have read and will be the last. The police procedural part was ok but there was too much personal stuff which kept interrupting the flow of the story and dragged it down to 2 stars. DCI Walker is what we in Ireland call a "me feiner" which basically means she is so hung up on her own issues that she can't see what is in front of her face sometimes. Yes she is nice to one of her team Matt and lets him off to go to IVF appointments with his wife but she selfishly wants the coroner to stay because otherwise Walkers life will be more difficult getting used to someone else and she hates her overall boss and is disappointed he didn't get a promotion out of there to get him out of her hair.

Dr Cavendish then seems to spend more time at Walkers beck and call than at the university which is paying her to lecture students and then gets all pissy because they pull her up over it. It doesn't help her ex boyfriend is promoted over her and so she has to answer to him suddenly. She then takes it out on the curent boyfriend by dumping him bacause he had the nerve to ask her to marry him.

Honestly both main characters are unlikeable and I just don't see the point of Cavendish. A pyschologist can give a description to police of a serial killer and read people nuances during interviews but she seems to be used willy nilly in these books just to have her involved. I get she is the point of difference for a world saturated with detective books but I just think her character is being used wrong and she is a neurotic character that doesn't have it together enough to be of any use to the police in reality.

I got books 5 and 6 (this one) from my local book exchange and if I see any more from this author will avoid them.

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A serial killer targeting employees at a prestigious law firm - and boy do lawyers have secrets. Pursuing each possible motive opens up yet another can of worms in this convoluted tale. Turns out lawyers are good at keeping secrets and making enemies. Meanwhile, both Cavendish and Walker are facing series upsets in both their professional and personal lives.

As a mystery and a novel, this is a well crafted story. The twists and turns as various characters were introduced and motives explored kept me guessing until the end. The parallelisms between the challenges in Cavendish and Walker's personal lives and the events of the investigation were well done. As a police procedural, it felt a little lacking. The murder weapon for example required a little suspension of disbelief.

This is a strong series for readers who like their police procedural on the thriller side with lots of personality and heart and just a little hint of horror. Each book in this series is very distinct with completely different types of serial killers pursuing their own agendas. While each case is a standalone completely solved within one book, I've enjoyed getting to know our two protagonists and the challenges they face both personally and professionally through the series. This book added some good twists to threads that have been weaving through previous books.

[Carol Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

No 6 in the series and all different, same duo and their lives both differ greatly Whitney always working always trying to be one step ahead of her cases, and George her forensic psychologist strange one but in this episode didn't seem as if she was needed, as Whitney seemed to manage just as well on her own most of the time and with her team, then Jamieson who she was hoping might be leaving for a promotion who knows. In this novel, the coroner first got in touch with Whitney as her cadaver she was working on died of a heart attack but has found an injection site and turns out he was injected with Sodium Pentathol, and he worked for a prestigious law firm, that dealt mainly with deals and not criminal lawyers, so who would want to kill anybody there as they had companies for clients that did not need law courts.? It started with one and ended up she has a serial killer on her hands, it did seem to take a long time on this one to come to fruition but got there in the end. Needed to keep going always trying to work out the reason why and who? but this one stumped me this time it was only towards the end did I have any inclination to who did these murders and the reason why brilliant read and thanks to Sally for an ARC well done.

[Beth White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book still gets 4 stars for the overall mystery but I am starting to get a bit frustrated with the repetitive nature and characteristics of some of our main characters:

- George: posh but doesn’t want to be seen that way, nice car, awkward personality (that only comes up every other page)
- Whitney: doesn’t like posh / rich people and has a problem with comparing herself constantly, less educated and brings this up a lot, with her boss and generally people in superior positions
- Frank: lazy and less work ethic than others in the office

Fine structure for character development but when those attributes are repetitively mentioned over. And over. And over. To complete every single plot point, it gets really old.

Ok enough about that and onto why the book *still* got 4 stars! A great story line that keeps you guessing at the potential motive for multiple homicides at the same law firm. I love the story lines where you have a chance of guessing what the motive might be and this book doesn’t disappoint. It keeps you guessing to the end and throws a fair few red herrings to keep you on your toes too. Brilliantly intriguing and the entire reason I keep reading the series. I definitely didn’t see the ending coming but loved the journey aside from the above frustrations.

[Chris Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

DI Whitney Walker and her colleague Dr George Cavendish are racing to find a killer that seemingly has a grudge against a certain group of lawyers from a prestigious law practice. After investigating one murder another almost identical one occurs. Whilst looking into these another body is found with the same telltale signs. Although it would appear someone has it in for these people who all work for the firm could there be another reason behind the deaths? Sally Rigby's easy writing style counter balances a lot of the gruesome subject matter. Murder and political manoeuvring aren’t all Whitney has to deal with though as her mother, who has dementia, suffers another health scare. Sally Rigby has created a great collection of characters with not only the two main ones but a supporting cast around them. Each of them comes alive and are given their own ‘voice’. Overall, this is a great read that for me at least flew by so quickly it was over before I knew it. I’ve enjoyed all the books in this series and this is another excellent addition. Fans of police procedurals will no doubt love this, and the wider series too. Great stuff I am happy to recommend.

[Rachael Stray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final Verdict is book six in the Walker & Cavendish series but can be read as a standalone story. I haven’t read any of the previous novels, but I was able to follow along perfectly well.

I found this to be a fast paced, twist and turn read. 

DCI Walker and Dr George Cavendish make a great crime busting duo but in this story both have distractions from their personal lives looming into their decision making process.

They are racing to find a killer that seemingly has a grudge against a certain group of lawyers from a prestigious law practice. 

The case they are trying to crack is a perplexing one.

A solicitor found head of a heart attack that may not be as straight forward as it first seemed.

When it becomes clear that someone is targeting the firm he worked for, it is up to our intrepid duo to discover who and why.

It was hard to feel sympathy towards the first victim the more we got to know him, but while the reasons for the murders were kept well hidden until near the end of the book, a few chapters told from the killers perspective do give the readers some kind of inkling.

I enjoyed seeing the human side of Whitney and George and watching their friendship develop.

It's also really refreshing to have the two main characters to be strong independent women. 

[Lel Budge · Rating 4 out of 5]

#6 in the Cavendish and Walker series, but can also be read as a stand-alone.

A member of a law firm has died of a suspected heart attack, but this was found to have been caused by an injection of potassium chloride, so the investigation begins.

DCI Whitney Walker and her team search for suspects and helped as always by George Cavendish, a forensic psychologist.

Both women are also dealing with difficult circumstances in their personal lives too. Whitney’s mum has dementia and is now being tested for possible breast cancer, while George’s boyfriend has just proposed and she’s in a dilemma and her ex is now her boss.

When another member of the law firm is murdered in the same way, it becomes a race to find the killer before anyone else dies.

Final Verdict is a well paced, gripping thriller with great, well developed characters who are likeable and some not likeable. A clever plot too that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

Thank you to Emma of damppebbles blog tours for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and an eARC of Final Verdict. This is my honest and unbiased review.

[Randi Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book blurb says "The judge has spoken, everyone must die" but who is the judge? Lawyers from a local firm are being murdered on a daily basis but every tip leads Whitney and George to another dead end. Every time they think they are onto something it doesn't pan out or they sense they are not getting the whole story. Is it a spurned lover, a victim of unwanted sexual advances, a merger about to go bad? Is it a man or a woman? In the midst of it all Whitney's mother must have a breast biopsy and George's guy Ross has proposed but she can't decide what to tell him. So they are both a little preoccupied and uncharacteristically snapping at people, but they still get the job done. I enjoy seeing the human side of Whitney and George and watching their friendship develop. This is another excellent entry into this series. I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read an advance copy. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The judge has spoken……everyone must die.
When a killer starts murdering lawyers in a prestigious law firm, and every lead takes them to a dead end, Detective Chief Inspector Whitney Walker finds herself grappling for a motive.
What links these deaths, and why use a lethal injection?
Alongside forensic psychologist, Dr Georgina Cavendish, they close in on the killer, while all the time trying to not let their personal lives get in the way of the investigation.

This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Brenda Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems that the plots get better and better, full with exciting mad guys, George and Whitney make a great team, when they aren't discussing personal problems, Whitney talks about them but not George. Whitney finds out her mother has a lump in her breast. So they don't know if it is cancer, must have tests done. Then the call from Claire who is the pathologist from Whitney and needs to see her asap, but why?? It seems that a lawyer's death was not a heart attack after all but murder. Because he had been injected with potassium chloride overdose, it's the same thing that they use in prisons for the death sentence prisoners.So it is time to start the chase and find the guilty party. But there are really no clues to follow. Then there is another death in the same law firm and it is the same way of killing the HR manager. Still no clues,what is going on?? What is the reason for these killings??

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well my goodness Whitney and George sure had their hands full with this case. Not only is Whitney dealing with the difficult case at work but it seems Jameson has taken on a new leaf, what is he so happy about? She has also been called in to talk about her mother with the nursing home, what could possibly have happened now? George seems to have some personal problems going on too. Of course the ladies can't allow their personal lives to interfere with work. This book in the series I found to be one of the best, I really enjoyed the whole thing. So much action and suspense, twists and turns you don't know what is going to happen next. Excited to read the next book in the series about these 2 ladies that are so different but have a great friendship.
I received a free download of this book from the publisher. This review is my own honest opinion of a book I really enjoyed.

[Tom Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final Verdict
Another Cavendish & Walker WINNER!

Is there a serial killer targeting a law firm? Does the killer work at the firm or is he or she a former employee with a grudge.

Intertwined with solving the murders are the personal issues with which Whitney, George, and the stern pathologist Claire must each wrestle.

There’s also some good news. Whitney’s superior - Jamieson - appears to be headed for a promotion. A promotion which will free Whitney of his management “style “.

Simply put, Final Verdict is a great read and I guarantee you will not even begin to solve the case before our favorite cast of characters does.

You will try and you won’t put the book down till finished. All the while, you’ll be as involved as those working to solve the murders and sort out their personal lives as well.

Enjoy! I certainly did

[Ross Ramey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sixth of the Walker/Cavendish series. Another corker! DCI Walker and Dr Cavendish are each having some individual struggles in their personal and professional lives, separate from the case that now envelopes them. That's a series of killings involving a legal firm. Attention to detail and the psychology of the perpetrator will be necessary to solve it. Rigby's writing is top-notch, the pace is fast, the dialogue is believable and appropriate, and the characters are believable.

What I enjoy most about the series is the development of the primary characters in the story. Walker and Cavendish are both developing their relationship, one to another, but individually I see each maturing and developing as a person. Well done!

My review is reflective of my reading of an Advance Readers Copy of the book, but I believe it is reflective of the final version once published. Enjoy!

[Meredith Rankin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book six in the Walker & Cavendish series. I haven’t read any of the previous novels, but I was able to follow along perfectly well.

This is a satisfying police procedural. It doesn’t break any new ground in the genre, but that’s okay: sometimes we need the familiar rhythms of standard genre elements to escape into, especially when life seems unpredictable.

Plot
The book pairs Dr. George Cavendish (short for Georgina, I think), a forensic psychologist, and DCI Whitney Walker as they chase a killer targeting members of a prestigious law firm.

The victims are all from the corporate department. All died of heart attacks, but the pathologist finds that those heart attacks were induced by lethal doses of potassium chloride. A painful, horrible way to die.

The first, Julian Lyons, appears to be a fabulous Mr Perfect. As any mystery reader knows, Mr. Perfect is code for for he was secretly a total (bleep). (It’s true. The only differences are the ways they are bleepin’ horrible.) And he was. But does it have any bearing on his murder?

It’s like that for all the victims. All of them had areas where they were less than perfect humans (as we all do) but somehow, no motive emerges. Even George, a psychologist, and Whitney, an experienced investigator, are baffled. Why these victims? What’s the common thread?

The plot moves briskly. We follow Whitney’s team as they dig for clues, face dead ends, and endless frustration as the number of victims grow and the answers remain elusive. Sally Rigby does a good job throwing in some red herrings. It’s not a complex plot. All the same, I was satisfied when the killer is caught.

Characters

Plot-wise, the mystery was fine. But the book’s strongest area was the relationships between George, Whitney, and Claire, the prickly but brilliant pathologist. All three women are fighting their private battles.

Whitney’s mom has dementia and might have cancer.

George has had an ultimatum from her boyfriend; meanwhile her ex is behaving badly in the university department where they both teach.

The pricklier-than-usual Claire has a major decision to make.

This book definitely passes the three-fold bechdel test: 1) at least two female characters 2) who have names, and 3) who talk about something other than a man. Imagine that: women talking about things other than men. Shocking. And here, Whitney and George’s conversation topics are wide and varied: major heart-to-heart talks, minor interactions, and major kick-in-the-butt motivational talks. And not always about men!

I really liked that each of the characters (and some of the minor ones, too) have their own lives apart from the case. Whitney’s difficult boss bounces between breathing fire down her back over the stalled case and floating on air because he thinks he’s being promoted. I really enjoyed his character, though I’m quite thankful that he isn’t my boss. Almost everyone has some issue(s) to deal with. This added a lot to the emotional depth of the book for me.

Of the two major characters, my favorite was George. She’s a psychologist. She reads other people’s body language and examines their emotions, thoughts, and motivations. But she desperately needs to examine her own emotions and heart. She either won’t do it (she prides herself on her emotion-squashing) or doesn’t have the skills to do it. I found this contradiction fascinating.

A few quibbles . . .

I did have a few quibbles. I wondered how George managed to sit in on so many of the interviews and why none of the interviewees questioned her presence. (Then again, I’m not sure I’d question the police if I was in a witness/suspect in a murder case; I’d be too scared.) There were also points when Whitney seemed less savvy and emotionally intelligent than an experienced investigator should be. Still, she’s under a great deal of stress, so perhaps that accounts for some of her reactions.

One thing I enjoyed . . .

There are several times when Whitney is interacting with her mother that gripped my heart. Her mom has dementia. As anyone who’s cared for a dementia patient can tell you, there are bad days and good days. And sometimes, they’re on the same day. Here, Whitney has to deal with her mom on both types of days. When she and her mom do connect emotionally, it’s a beautiful thing. Rigby infuses those scenes with tenderness and love, raising my sympathy for both women.

Overall, this is a good police procedural. It’s satisfying and enjoyable. The murders are horrible but not bloody and gruesome, and there’s very little violence otherwise. No one curses, either, which is very unusual in this genre.

All in all, the book made a nice change of pace for me. It was a comfortable, enjoyable read where I could be assured that the killer would get caught, justice would be served, and the victims avenged. The detective doesn’t play the maverick and go off on her own, point a loaded gun at difficult people, or make dark, snarky remarks about everyone she meets, or brood in lonely despair over a beer as she slowly gets drunk. She doesn’t need to break the rules of law enforcement to find the killer. Whitney has real friends; she drinks but not excessively; her emotional health is mostly okay.

I said earlier that the book didn’t break any new ground. But what it does do is show that a book doesn’t need to have that maverick-loner-alcoholic cop to be an interesting, page-turning police procedural. Now that is unusual and refreshing. I hope to see more of it!

Thanks to author Sally Rigby and Emma Welton of damppebbles blog tours for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the best book of this series so far. At the same time Whitney and Claire have to solve the crimes committed by a serial killer they have to deal with their personal and family problems. It´s most interesting to see as they grew to be a sounding board for each other and how helpful that is to solve crimes and personal matters. They evolved in their relationship through the stories, such as it happens in real life - partnerships should grow as time passes. Very enjoyable reading!
I received an advance copy of this book from the author as a member of her ARC team in exchange for an unbiased review.