The Missing And The Dead

DI Tom Blake #3

by J.F. Burgess

A skeleton in a tunnel. Missing teenagers. Five unconnected suspects. Can DI Tom Blake uncover their dark secrets before a twisted killer silences everyone?

A FORTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD MURDER

Soon after he saves a young man from jumping to his death from an eight-storey building, DI Tom Blake is called to investigate the discovery of human remains on a demolition site in Stoke-on-Trent city centre.

The bones confront him with a cold-case from 1978. Was the murder of a notorious seventies gangster linked to the disappearance of a young Italian man over a gambling debt? Or is there an even darker story to uncover?

MISSING CHILDREN

Six-year-old Daisy Ellis went missing the night her house burned down in 1978, killing both her parents. Lorna Atwood, thirteen, caught a bus into town on a cold night in 1978, and was never seen again. Blake stumbles upon these mysterious disappearances when delving into his cold-case murder: could there be a link?

A KILLER WHO HAS NEVER BEEN CAUGHT

Blake's hunt for the killer plunges him into decades-old secrets. Opening up this cold-case strikes fear into the hearts of witnesses, and takes Blake back in time to a derelict children’s home: a place with a disturbing history.

As past collides perilously with present, Blake finds himself part of a terrifying investigation that will lead to a chilling realisation of the killer’s identity…

Genres: Fiction

202 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 8, 2021

About the author

About the author

J.F. Burgess writes addictive, twist-filled crime thrillers that keep readers up all night.

If you love gritty police procedurals packed with shocking reveals, morally complex detectives, and villains you’ll never forget — you’ve just found your next favourite author.

His bestselling DI Tom Blake series is set in the raw, industrial heart of Stoke-on-Trent, where dark secrets hide in plain sight. The DI Jessica Ryan books transport readers to the stunning but deadly beauty of the Peak District, where danger lurks behind every stone wall and misty ridge.

The first Blake novel, The Killer Shadow Thieves, has been downloaded over 10,000 times and smashed into the Amazon UK Crime Top 100.

Both series have grown to twelve novels, accumulating over 1.8 million Kindle Unlimited page reads and a loyal fan base on both sides of the Atlantic.

What readers are saying:

“Page-turning, tense crime mysteries with shocking twists that take you deep inside the criminal mind.”

Jonathan lives in Stoke-on-Trent, England, with his wife and grown-up daughter.

Start reading today — and discover why crime fans can’t put these books down.

Join his *VIP Reader's Club* to ensure you get all the special offers and forthcoming gripping crime stories, only available to VIP Club members. Pop your name on the list here...

https://jfburgess.com/

Facebook — Join him and other crime fans for a chat on his Facebook readers group here: https://www.facebook.com/JonBurgessWr...

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

D.I. Tom Blake is back for his 3rd outing and this time this novella is all about nasty buried secrets from the past coming back to haunt the present
A body is found,it’s of a man,a notorious man who disappeared in the 70’s and the finger points at many characters who it could have been and as the investigation starts Blake is faced with a past riddled with drugs,pedophiles,murderers and prostitution.......and a man everyone was terrified of,known only as ‘The Gatekeeper’
As the investigation continues we learn not everyone who was supposed to be good back in those days was and the story takes many twists and turns as we find out who was behind it all
A real adventure,well written and paced,full of characters to dislike and makes you very keen to find out the ending,a great mystery read

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

DI Tom Blake is called on to investigate the discovery of decades old human bones. When finally identified, the bones are found to belong to a gangster linked to another murder... of a man over a possible gambling debt.

A six-year old girl goes missing the night her house caught on fire and both parents perished. Who saved her ... and why? She's never been seen since. The sane night, a 13-year-old girl caught a bus ... and disappeared.

Blake stumbles upon these mysterious disappearances when delving into his cold-case murder: could there be a link? Opening up this cold-case strikes fear into the hearts of witnesses, and takes Blake back in time to a derelict children’s home: a place with a disturbing history.

This is well written with tons of page-turning action. Deftly drawn characters appear in the midst of twists and turns. It's an intricate plot with plenty of suspects to watch. All are leading to an unexpected, surprising conclusion.

Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Surjit Parekh · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thoughts about J.F.Burgess’s brilliant police procedural mystery thirller The Missing And The Dead, was just fantastic, with its amazing suspense and mystery, blow me away, And the characters are well written and portrait in this nail biting crime thriller. Author J.F.Burgess’s The Missing And The Dead tells the story of DI Tom Blake, who is called to investigate the discovery of human remains on a demolition site in Stoke-on-Trent city centre. 
The bones confront him with a cold-case from 1978. belonging to a notorious seventies gangster linked to the disappearance of a young Italian man over a gambling debt, meanwhile a Six-year-old Daisy Ellis went missing the night her house burned down in 1978, killing both her parents. Lorna Atwood, thirteen, caught a bus into town on a cold night in 1978, and was never seen again.DI Tom Blake starts to investigate both cases to find out if there are any links to the two cases to find the identity of the killer, who was never caught, was fantastic. Tom going back to investigate an old case and finding out the truth about the killer and the connections, was just incredible. The Missing And The Dead is a well written murder mystery thriller, that takes you on a journey through time, to catch a dangerous killer, will take you on a rollocoster ride. I would like to say thank you to author J.F.Burgess, who had kindly sent me a copy of this unique thriller,which is highly recommended. A nail biting murder mystery thriller, that will blow you away with its amazing story, and characters, and hardhiting suspense. Bravo.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💥💥💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[Shiva Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Missing and the Dead by JF Burgess is the latest book in the Detective Inspector Blake series.
DI Blake is investigating the remains of a body which was left for forty two years ago. The bones, jacket and boots were found to belong to Lenny Wilder who was a business man back in the 1970s.
Lenny and his brother Johnny were into lots of different types of business.
The case opens up a catalogue of surprises from the past.
A gripping page turner until the end, a true who done it!

[Brian Burbidge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read

Great read suspense and contradiction throughout makes you wonder what is and who is eventually responsible for the crimes keeps you thinking and leads to a great surprise in the end

[Alex Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second DI Tom Blake mystery and it did not disappoint.
When a skeleton is discovered on a building site, Blake starts investigating a cold murder case. At first it appears fairly straightforward with links to two nasty gangsters from the 1970s, although one of them is missing. There are twists and turns aplenty, leaving the reader wondering just how twisted this can get with five possible witnesses who may suspects. And all of whom have secrets relating to the past, missing children and murders.
The story is set in and around Stoke on Trent and is full of gritty realism, often missing from standard police procedurals. I love the way Burgess doesn't follow the typical formula with his plotting. It's a police procedural, a whodunit, that is fresh and stimulating... albeit very dark with tales of child abuse and abduction.
At one point, the people we know have been lying (although not what the lies are yet) are called to a meeting by someone. It's a very clever way of upping the ante and tension. Especially when no one is sure who called them together and where one disappears to.
And as for the ending... a final disturbing twist, that unsettled me for a couple of nights afterwards. However I can say no more without spoiling the mystery.
It's a mid-length novel that I found whipped along at pace. The only criticism I have is that there was little personal development of Blake and the team. There were none of the usual subplots that provide a breather from the main plot and provide more depth to the protagonists. So that was another departure from the formula. Did it matter? Not really, although I would recommend you read books 1 or 2 beforehand so that you have a fuller picture of Blake in particular.
"Only the living tell lies" is a perfect strap line for this gritty, hard hitting crime mystery. It deserves five black daggers and I look forward to the next instalment from this fascinating author.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

156 pages

4 and 1 / 2 stars

What a great little novella. This book has it all: violence, child abduction, arson, murder, blackmail, sex trafficking, a crooked cop and child sexual abuse.

DI Tom Blake talks a man down off a roof. Almost immediately, he receives a request to attend a body found at a demolition site. It's just bones, boots and a leather jacket. The pathologist's estimate of the time of death is the late 1970's. A matchbook leads the detectives to a retired man who owned the store that had those matches.

DNA proves the identity of the murdered man. He was a gangster involved in prostitution and blackmail. He also beat people up. His brother is still alive and is still a very nasty person.

The web of people involved in the crime – and others – grows. Following several interviews with people who are either not telling the truth or hiding something, the cops begin to get an idea of what happened.

There are several characters to keep an eye on in this book. They are a seriously messed up group of people.

I really like the way Mr. Burgess tells a story. While he pretty much leaves out the character development (something I always look forward to in a novel), he hits the nail right on the head with his story. I am reminded of the old television show Dragnet: “Just the facts m'am.” He does discuss the relationship between Blake and his daughter a little.

I truly enjoyed this book and am very much looking forward to reading Mr. Burgess' other books.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Missing and The Dead might only be novella length, but it doesn’t half pack a lot in to its 156 pages! Brilliant writing!
Having read and loved the first two books in this series I was very much looking forward to reading The Missing and The Dead. The whole series so far has been excellent.
When human remains are found on a demolition site, DI Tom Blake and the team are faced with a murder investigation dating back to the 1970s. It won’t be easy proving anything as forensic evidence is sparse given the amount of time the body has been there.
This isn’t the team’s only worry though. As the investigation progresses it throws up other secrets decades old and leads them to missing children cases. How can these 42-year-old cold cases be linked?
I love the police procedural aspect of these stories. I also love that we also get a bit of insight into the personal lives of Blake and his team.
I love that these books are set in Stoke-on-Trent as I can picture where the characters are when familiar places are mentioned.
I love JF Burgess’ writing style. He always draws me in from the very first page. This story is fast paced, full of suspense, shocking twists, and an ending which made my blood run cold.
I highly recommend!

https://chataboutbooks.blog/2021/02/2...

[Christmas Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superbly written novel about gangsters, murders, and child abuse. Disturbing and twisted, heart-breaking and tragic - not all fiction is fiction. A 10 Star book. Brilliantly Written and
Very Highly Recommended.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

I started this book on the 13th January and finished it 1day later. Couldn't put it down!

Although I had worked out who the Gatekeeper was before the character was actually revealed, it certainly in no way spoiled the final chapters.

Absolutely magnificent and a definite must read!

[Richard H. Sands · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a very interesting read and look forward to the next one.
Richard

[DragN · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed reading this book, it is better than watching Unforgotten.

[Alyson Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series and although this is a novella, it really feels more like a full length story with absolutely loads in it to grip the reader right from the start to the fantastic ending! The story begins in 1978 where a fire quickly takes hold on a suburban house. As her parents die, six year old Daisy Ellis is rescued and is never seen again. The story switches forward forty two years to the present day. DI Tom Blake and his partner DS John Murphy are trying to grab a quiet coffee in Hanley when Tom ends up dramatically saving a man threatening to throw himself from the top of a disused multi storey car park. The man is off his head on a nasty synthetic drug and can’t get to see his young son. Life is never quiet for Tom and he is next called to the scene of the discovery of a skeleton in an old drain under the demolition site of the old sixties shopping precinct. All that’s left is bones, boots and his leather jacket. His fractured skull indicates it could be murder. When the news is made public, it stirs up some very bad memories for quite a few people as they remember the arcade that stood on the site and the Wilder brothers, a pair of brutal local gangsters that used to run it. They were into allsorts and there was even talk of prostitutes and drugs. Forensic tests and other evidence date the remains to 1978 and lead the detectives to a former café owner. The bones are identified as Lenny Wilder who disappeared in 1978, leaving his brother Johnny to run their empire. Lenny wasn’t the only person who disappeared from that scene in 1978. A thirteen year old girl called Lorna Atwood was also never seen again, and a young Italian man vanished from that area. Could there be a connection between all these disappearances? There are plenty of suspects for Lenny’s murder and the lives of all concerned start to converge horrifically again as the detectives start to dig into the past. Soon it looks like someone is trying to silence any potential witnesses, and the pressure is really on the detectives to solve this case.
Including murder and assaults, missing children, hard men gangsters and arson, this story really has everything going on and is chillingly dark in places as the detectives start to unearth grim and disturbing secrets that have been buried for decades. The story is very well written with a gripping plot that kept me guessing almost to the end, as the detectives discover more dreadful crimes that had been buried in a web of conspiracy and silence. The pace and tension are kept up throughout the story with lots of great action as Blake and Murphy, part of an excellent team of good solid detectives, race to save lives with gruesome findings and a shocking ending with some superb twists and revelations. Each book in this series has got better and better, and I am eagerly awaiting the next one! Highly recommended. 5*

[J Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes indeed, a shocking twist at the end.

This is equally as good as the two previous Tom Blake books. Lots of detail about how Some has changed over the decades that the story covers. Yet again some very nasty villains. Another please, and thank you for this one.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

D.I. Tom Blake and his team investigate when the remains of a body are discovered. examination reveals the man has been dead for 42 years. In the same year several young girls and another man also went missing. What is the connection to these circumstances, who is involved.
An enjoyable crime story

[Michael Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as ARC. Excellent start to a series. DI Blake is thrust into a case involving a skeleton almost 50 years old. As he and his officers start digging, it gets more complicated. Great characters and story. Has the making of a great series.

[Livia · Rating 5 out of 5]

After saving the life of a homeless man who was about to jump off the top of a building, DI Tom Blake and DS Murphy are called to a demolition site where the bones of a body have been uncovered along with a leather jacket..Inside the jacket is a box of matches from a place long gone .When the remains are found to be that of local hardman Lenny Wilder who vanished in 1978 , Blake and Murphy dig deep into the past , questioning all those associated with Wilder .That year , all those years ago a little girl , six year old Daisy Ellis also vanished after her home burnt down..killing both her parents. As Blake and Murphy interview the suspects, someone out there wants them silenced..An old faded photograph leads them further into the shadows, and dark and shady secrets are about to be opened up..But Blake and his team have no idea of the revelations that will follow..My first read from JF Burgess..A Gripping Dark Pageturner full of Secrets, Lies and Shadows...where the twists keep coming at you from every angle ....

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the free book
Lots of twists and turns
Fabulous characters

[Dee Groocock · Rating 5 out of 5]

D.I Tom Blake is kept busy when he has to try and stop a man from jumping off a high building and then he has to investigate when some old remains are found at a building site. Who is he and why has he been murdered?

This is an intense murder mystery that kept me engrossed. I loved some of the characters and developed a deep dislike for some of the others!
The book has an excellent plot that kept me questing, albeit incorrectly most of the time!
I would highly recommend this book.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have been an excellent read if it hadn't been SPOILED for me by the author's abuse of Almighty GOD's Names. This is blasphemy and is NEVER acceptable. Minus 1 *
I could also have done without the sewer language 😠😝

I'm looking forward to reading future stories - without Blasphemy, please

[James Facey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. I couldn't put it down. I read it in 2 sittings. One of Jon's best. Well worth the read. Definitely 5star.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read when I needed something to enjoy. Good story

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Waiting for the next book now!?

Brilliant. Waiting for the next book, now. If you like Conrad Jones books, you should enjoy The Missing and The Dead.

[Denise Zendel · Rating 4 out of 5]

48. The Missing and the Dead (DI Tom Blake Book 4) by J.F. Burgess

The past and present collide for Detective Inspector Tom Blake when he is called to investigate the discovery of human remains on a demolition site in Stoke-on-Trent. The bones have ties to a cold case from 42 years ago. The remains belong to a notorious gangster and may tie to the disappearance of a vulnerable young man, but they could also have ties to a case involving the disappearance of children from a care home with a dark history.

This is a dark, gritty, action-packed story dealing with difficult topics - violence, child abduction, arson, murder, blackmail, sex trafficking, a crooked cop and child sexual abuse. It is well written and held my interest all the way through. It wasn’t until the end that I realized I started this series mid-stream, but the author did such a good job of conveying backstory that I didn’t feel lost or left out. I enjoyed following along with Blake and his team as they solved the cases.

I will read more in this series – and I’m kind of excited I get to catch up by reading books 1-3. Blake is an interesting character, and I’d like to learn what makes him tick.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting story, but seems a bit contrived. And it is also somewhat confusing. Crimes committed 42 years ago are being investigated and amazingly the investigating officers keep finding evidence in the must mysterious places. Why would criminals keep such things? And the amount of guilt among so many individuals is surprising, especially when they didn't really seem to have any connection with each other. Yet, step by step the pieces are fitted together. But it all seemed a bit too tedious for me. And with unfamiliar names and places, it was frequently difficult to follow.

[Bruce K. Beyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dishonor and Disgrace

The discovery of the skeletal remains of a murder victim triggered an investigation that kept finding links to crimes that had been long buried and forgotten. The twists and revelations kept me intrigued to the end.

[Helen Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read!

Another great read by J F Burgess, not knowing who did it until the end. Lots of twists & turns..... Looking forward to reading book 4!

[Johnny Worley]

Great Read

The author brings the characters alive and let's you relive the crime through the inspectors eyes.
Well written and a great read.

[Margaret]

On my, I can't rate this book. I couldn't read it. It was so full of unnecessary cuss words. A lot of the big no no word! It appeared to be a page turner! Interesting! You need to judge for yourself! If that doesn't bother you, read it.