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DCI Kett #8
Sweet Briar Rose
DCI Kett is back, heading Norfolk Constabulary’s brand-new Extreme Crime Task Force.
And it’s just in time. The body of a woman bound in thorns is discovered in Norwich’s historic Cow Tower. In her mouth is a severed finger wrapped in a scrap of red cloth, and the first few lines of a fairy tale.
“Once upon a time, a young maiden waited to be saved from a hideous monster.”
The finger belongs to another missing girl, and if Kett, Porter and Savage want to find her alive they must follow a chain of blood-drenched riddles, each victim leading to the next and each crime more horrific than the last.
Because this killer is telling a story, and he’ll do anything to stop it from having a happy ending.
Join DCI Kett, DI Porter and DC Savage on their most dangerous and disturbing case yet, in the internationally bestselling series that Thrilling Fiction calls “the most addictive and action-packed crime saga you’ll ever read.”
And it’s just in time. The body of a woman bound in thorns is discovered in Norwich’s historic Cow Tower. In her mouth is a severed finger wrapped in a scrap of red cloth, and the first few lines of a fairy tale.
“Once upon a time, a young maiden waited to be saved from a hideous monster.”
The finger belongs to another missing girl, and if Kett, Porter and Savage want to find her alive they must follow a chain of blood-drenched riddles, each victim leading to the next and each crime more horrific than the last.
Because this killer is telling a story, and he’ll do anything to stop it from having a happy ending.
Join DCI Kett, DI Porter and DC Savage on their most dangerous and disturbing case yet, in the internationally bestselling series that Thrilling Fiction calls “the most addictive and action-packed crime saga you’ll ever read.”
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2021
1918 people are currently reading
428 people want to read
About the author
Alex Smith
27 books708 followersAlex Smith wrote his first book when he was six. It wasn’t particularly good, but it did have some supernatural monsters in it. His latest books, the DCI Robert Kett thrillers, have monsters in them too, although these monsters are very human, and all the more terrifying for it. In between these two books he has published twelve other novels for children and teenagers under his full name, Alexander Gordon Smith—including the number one bestselling series Escape From Furnace, which is loved by millions of readers worldwide and which is soon to become a motion picture. He lives in Norwich with his wife and three young daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
November 4, 2024
**Updated Review**
Once Upon A Time.
I guess it had to happen sooner or later. I couldn't just keep on loving every book In this series without something getting on my tits now, could I? The universe simply doesn't work that way.
In a world where leftie politics seems to be getting injected into absolutely every sphere of our existence (attacking the pillars of law, religion, media and education has been a mainstay of Marxist ideology - whether it be via Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism, or the critical theory and 'Pedagogy of The Oppressed' being crystallized in the thoughts & writing of batshit weirdos like Hegel, Fanon, Foucault, Marcuse, Gramsci, Fromm and Freire). But it's especially disappointing to see the world of literature become so hideously polluted, if not entirely captured, by naked leftism. One only has to spend a little time browsing 'BookTube', 'BookTwitter' (and from what little has managed to work its way into my consciousness) from the hell-site responsible for 'BookTok,' to see rampant, blind adherence from those desperate to be seen and known as a good person, parroting left-leaning talking-points like the loyal party apparatchiks they are; blithely believing that doing so makes them the most righteous, moral arbiters on the planet (and forgetting that even liberals get the bullet).
Being someone who has loved to read (ever since my parents first taught me at the age of almost 3 years young, just how magical and rewarding it was to be able to decipher those squiggles on the page) it has long dismayed me to see just how much of the material now being published, feels like an assault on one's senses. Not via the aesthetics of beauty, monstrous cruelty, or the learning of difficult truths; but by dint of shoe-horning politics into every genre, regardless of how welcome or valid they are in relation to the plot. And it's almost always left-wing politics that I see being injected into what ought to be simple, escapist fiction. I know...I know...The whole point of critical theory - vis a vis critical pedagogy - is to use everything as a potentially "teachable moment" - where the teacher learns from the child....yes, really! - when it comes to leftist indoctrination; but I'm a 43 year old woman, looking to get some amusing downtime, with a nice bit of murder, violence and a cleverly constructed whodunit pulling eveything together. If I wanted to hear about how oppressed women are, I'd go join an Islamic sewing-circle.
There's just something incredibly off-putting when in #CurrentYear I have to see the kind of lame feminist talking points that a teenage 'YouTuber' could've destroyed back during 'GamerGate', being clumsily inserted into a bit of serial killer fiction. (I mean, if Alex Smith wants to wax lyrical about "muh feminist talking points" then I can make an even more annoyingly pedantic case about how his entire 'DCI Robert Kett' series is nothing more than misogynistic torture porn that views women as objects through the make gaze, with his heroic male characters being the embodiment of toxic masculinity - on top of being incredibly tone-deaf when it comes to race, with Kett's nuclear family being entirely white, and ethnic minorities only ever getting to play smaller, less-important roles. (And won't somebody please think of the gays?!) But I won't because a/ that's all intersectional BS and b/ I'm not a massive twat. I don't actually care about that crap.
Yet for some reason there were two stand-out moments in this book that pulled me right out of the immersion I'd been happily lost in, to try and make said annoying feminist talking points. Up until this book I've been able to overlook how Savage seems a bit OP because her biggest physical wins have been against other women, and while she's still quite handy with a baton or some basic control & restraint stuff, most of the time she either needs assistance from a male colleague, or to be practically rescued by one of them. I've even ignored the large number of women in other roles because if they aren't in the field apprehending perps, then whatever. The way that all-women shortlists and demands for 50/50 men & women to be represented in government roles are now commonplace in #CurrentYear, it almost makes sense. (I mean not in the real world. In reality that shit is retarded, but they are a real thing, so seeing that in a book, isn't altogether jarring.)
But when you have dialogue that tries to make out that the killer must be male due to all the manipulation and calculation, because women would never...they're like so, totally direct and would just get the job done...I'm like:
"WTF? Have you ever met an actual woman?"
Bitches be sneaky AF, bro! Women harbour grudges for decades. Plotting, scheming, backstabbing, being two-faced? All very feminine ways of trying to get one over on someone else. Most women are not direct, to the point where guys often can't tell if 2 women hate each other because the ways women communicate that hatred are cloaked in surface-level pleasantries that men for the most part, cannot detect. You think women are really direct buddy? Bless your heart!
(Never mind the fact that this dumb remark was made by a female forensic examiner, who ought to have just realised that the main reason these particular murders were obviously the work of a man - aside from the fact that most serial killers are male, duh! - is because the methods of execution required a lot of physical strength and a shed-load of knowledge around metal-work, wood-work and construction. Grrr!)
Then a handful of chapters later we get some miserable statement about how reading fairy tales to young girls is wrong, because then they'll grow up thinking that they'll find a man who treats them like a princess; and that's wrong because most men don't behave like princes, they're mostly all trolls!
Like...really? Is this the author's self-own here or something? Because I can assure you that this world is full of amazing men.
My family is full of amazing men.
My other half is an amazing man.
And I have so many wonderful male friends, have worked for fantastic male bosses, and had some awesome male co-workers. I'm sick of hearing whinging feminist harridans and their simpering male-feminist hangers-on, try to belittle half of the fricking population because biology is a real thing and they hate the fact that men are stronger, faster and have greater spatial awareness. Quit bitching about "men" because you were cheated on by an ex boyfriend, you suck at parallel parking, and you have to sit down to take a piss, Karen!
Seriously. I was not expecting to be lectured with this basic-bitch, 'Teen-Vogue' level of feminist BS when I started this book. I was actually really excited to be getting into book 8 of the 'DCI Robert Kett' series, especially when at the end of the previous instalment, we learned about the 'Extreme Crime Task Force' that had just been assembled. And the story was pretty bloody good. I enjoyed the way it played out, the red-herrings and misdirection, the idea to have the killer use fairy tales a way to both present his victims and explain how each of them had done something to warrant being on his list. I guess I probably know a little too much about the old school (not Disney) fairy tales, because that - along with my penchant for cryptic crosswords (like I mentioned earlier, Porter isn't the only one who enjoys solving them with his spouse) - made it pretty clear to me who the perp was, pretty early on. I didn't figure out the exact motive (and at one point did wonder if he had a certain person as an accomplice, which didn't bear out) but I not only realised who he was, but could also deduce where the final girl was being held.
None of the extraneous things took too much away from my enjoyment of the story, I just felt as though the man-hating/women-are-just-so-muchbetter (barf) comments mentioned above, really left a bitter taste in my mouth. It soured my respect for the author who up until now had been doing a brilliant job of writing fast-paced, action-packed, gripping thrillers with great characters and a nice bit of history & folklore thrown in there to keep things interesting. All he had to do was lay off the feminist clap-trap and everything would be golden. But for some reason he felt he had to get a bit soap-boxy in this book, so now I can't just imagine relaxing into another title without the threat of leftist wankery awaiting me on the pages.
Will I still read the rest of this series? Yes. As long as we don't see an incremental increase of "tossing" feminism, creeping in to subsequent titles. It is a shame, because I was really enjoying the vibe of this book. It felt like it had been constructed in a kind of Val McDermid 'Wire In The Blood' sort of fashion. I might have even given it a full 5 star rating too, had I not been pulled out of Kett's universe and into the intellectually moribund equivalent of a Nikki Haley campaign speech: totally lacking in factual accuracy, crow-barred in with no one having wanted to hear it, and about as impactful as her saying that if you want a job doing, ask a woman.
As a result of this I am awarding this book an honest 4 stars, but that's in spite of - not because of - Alex Smith's brief Anita Sarkeesian outburst. Let's hope book 9 doesn't start quoting from Simone de Beauvoir or I might just be the one who ends up going on a murderous rampage.
Onward!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Once Upon A Time.
I guess it had to happen sooner or later. I couldn't just keep on loving every book In this series without something getting on my tits now, could I? The universe simply doesn't work that way.
In a world where leftie politics seems to be getting injected into absolutely every sphere of our existence (attacking the pillars of law, religion, media and education has been a mainstay of Marxist ideology - whether it be via Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism, or the critical theory and 'Pedagogy of The Oppressed' being crystallized in the thoughts & writing of batshit weirdos like Hegel, Fanon, Foucault, Marcuse, Gramsci, Fromm and Freire). But it's especially disappointing to see the world of literature become so hideously polluted, if not entirely captured, by naked leftism. One only has to spend a little time browsing 'BookTube', 'BookTwitter' (and from what little has managed to work its way into my consciousness) from the hell-site responsible for 'BookTok,' to see rampant, blind adherence from those desperate to be seen and known as a good person, parroting left-leaning talking-points like the loyal party apparatchiks they are; blithely believing that doing so makes them the most righteous, moral arbiters on the planet (and forgetting that even liberals get the bullet).
Being someone who has loved to read (ever since my parents first taught me at the age of almost 3 years young, just how magical and rewarding it was to be able to decipher those squiggles on the page) it has long dismayed me to see just how much of the material now being published, feels like an assault on one's senses. Not via the aesthetics of beauty, monstrous cruelty, or the learning of difficult truths; but by dint of shoe-horning politics into every genre, regardless of how welcome or valid they are in relation to the plot. And it's almost always left-wing politics that I see being injected into what ought to be simple, escapist fiction. I know...I know...The whole point of critical theory - vis a vis critical pedagogy - is to use everything as a potentially "teachable moment" - where the teacher learns from the child....yes, really! - when it comes to leftist indoctrination; but I'm a 43 year old woman, looking to get some amusing downtime, with a nice bit of murder, violence and a cleverly constructed whodunit pulling eveything together. If I wanted to hear about how oppressed women are, I'd go join an Islamic sewing-circle.
There's just something incredibly off-putting when in #CurrentYear I have to see the kind of lame feminist talking points that a teenage 'YouTuber' could've destroyed back during 'GamerGate', being clumsily inserted into a bit of serial killer fiction. (I mean, if Alex Smith wants to wax lyrical about "muh feminist talking points" then I can make an even more annoyingly pedantic case about how his entire 'DCI Robert Kett' series is nothing more than misogynistic torture porn that views women as objects through the make gaze, with his heroic male characters being the embodiment of toxic masculinity - on top of being incredibly tone-deaf when it comes to race, with Kett's nuclear family being entirely white, and ethnic minorities only ever getting to play smaller, less-important roles. (And won't somebody please think of the gays?!) But I won't because a/ that's all intersectional BS and b/ I'm not a massive twat. I don't actually care about that crap.
Yet for some reason there were two stand-out moments in this book that pulled me right out of the immersion I'd been happily lost in, to try and make said annoying feminist talking points. Up until this book I've been able to overlook how Savage seems a bit OP because her biggest physical wins have been against other women, and while she's still quite handy with a baton or some basic control & restraint stuff, most of the time she either needs assistance from a male colleague, or to be practically rescued by one of them. I've even ignored the large number of women in other roles because if they aren't in the field apprehending perps, then whatever. The way that all-women shortlists and demands for 50/50 men & women to be represented in government roles are now commonplace in #CurrentYear, it almost makes sense. (I mean not in the real world. In reality that shit is retarded, but they are a real thing, so seeing that in a book, isn't altogether jarring.)
But when you have dialogue that tries to make out that the killer must be male due to all the manipulation and calculation, because women would never...they're like so, totally direct and would just get the job done...I'm like:
"WTF? Have you ever met an actual woman?"
Bitches be sneaky AF, bro! Women harbour grudges for decades. Plotting, scheming, backstabbing, being two-faced? All very feminine ways of trying to get one over on someone else. Most women are not direct, to the point where guys often can't tell if 2 women hate each other because the ways women communicate that hatred are cloaked in surface-level pleasantries that men for the most part, cannot detect. You think women are really direct buddy? Bless your heart!
(Never mind the fact that this dumb remark was made by a female forensic examiner, who ought to have just realised that the main reason these particular murders were obviously the work of a man - aside from the fact that most serial killers are male, duh! - is because the methods of execution required a lot of physical strength and a shed-load of knowledge around metal-work, wood-work and construction. Grrr!)
Then a handful of chapters later we get some miserable statement about how reading fairy tales to young girls is wrong, because then they'll grow up thinking that they'll find a man who treats them like a princess; and that's wrong because most men don't behave like princes, they're mostly all trolls!
Like...really? Is this the author's self-own here or something? Because I can assure you that this world is full of amazing men.
My family is full of amazing men.
My other half is an amazing man.
And I have so many wonderful male friends, have worked for fantastic male bosses, and had some awesome male co-workers. I'm sick of hearing whinging feminist harridans and their simpering male-feminist hangers-on, try to belittle half of the fricking population because biology is a real thing and they hate the fact that men are stronger, faster and have greater spatial awareness. Quit bitching about "men" because you were cheated on by an ex boyfriend, you suck at parallel parking, and you have to sit down to take a piss, Karen!
Seriously. I was not expecting to be lectured with this basic-bitch, 'Teen-Vogue' level of feminist BS when I started this book. I was actually really excited to be getting into book 8 of the 'DCI Robert Kett' series, especially when at the end of the previous instalment, we learned about the 'Extreme Crime Task Force' that had just been assembled. And the story was pretty bloody good. I enjoyed the way it played out, the red-herrings and misdirection, the idea to have the killer use fairy tales a way to both present his victims and explain how each of them had done something to warrant being on his list. I guess I probably know a little too much about the old school (not Disney) fairy tales, because that - along with my penchant for cryptic crosswords (like I mentioned earlier, Porter isn't the only one who enjoys solving them with his spouse) - made it pretty clear to me who the perp was, pretty early on. I didn't figure out the exact motive (and at one point did wonder if he had a certain person as an accomplice, which didn't bear out) but I not only realised who he was, but could also deduce where the final girl was being held.
None of the extraneous things took too much away from my enjoyment of the story, I just felt as though the man-hating/women-are-just-so-muchbetter (barf) comments mentioned above, really left a bitter taste in my mouth. It soured my respect for the author who up until now had been doing a brilliant job of writing fast-paced, action-packed, gripping thrillers with great characters and a nice bit of history & folklore thrown in there to keep things interesting. All he had to do was lay off the feminist clap-trap and everything would be golden. But for some reason he felt he had to get a bit soap-boxy in this book, so now I can't just imagine relaxing into another title without the threat of leftist wankery awaiting me on the pages.
Will I still read the rest of this series? Yes. As long as we don't see an incremental increase of "tossing" feminism, creeping in to subsequent titles. It is a shame, because I was really enjoying the vibe of this book. It felt like it had been constructed in a kind of Val McDermid 'Wire In The Blood' sort of fashion. I might have even given it a full 5 star rating too, had I not been pulled out of Kett's universe and into the intellectually moribund equivalent of a Nikki Haley campaign speech: totally lacking in factual accuracy, crow-barred in with no one having wanted to hear it, and about as impactful as her saying that if you want a job doing, ask a woman.
As a result of this I am awarding this book an honest 4 stars, but that's in spite of - not because of - Alex Smith's brief Anita Sarkeesian outburst. Let's hope book 9 doesn't start quoting from Simone de Beauvoir or I might just be the one who ends up going on a murderous rampage.
Onward!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 17, 2022
Great to catch up with DCI Kett again and the rest of the team.
This book starts off with a grisly murder case and then it appears 4 more girls are missing.
It’s a real race against time to find each one and this killer seems to have a very sick mind.
There’s some great banter in the team and with Kett being lent a very unattractive coat by Clare, the comments are hilarious.
We’re soon back down to earth as lives are at risk but this group make such a great team.
This is a gripping crime thriller that I really enjoyed.
This book starts off with a grisly murder case and then it appears 4 more girls are missing.
It’s a real race against time to find each one and this killer seems to have a very sick mind.
There’s some great banter in the team and with Kett being lent a very unattractive coat by Clare, the comments are hilarious.
We’re soon back down to earth as lives are at risk but this group make such a great team.
This is a gripping crime thriller that I really enjoyed.
January 20, 2023
Another fantastic story!
Kett is a shell of a man now, haunted by everything he’s done and lived through. Can he take anymore ?.
I just loved his family and love hearing what they’re up to now, although I’d have loved to hear more about his mum in this book now that she lives with them.
This story was so disturbing I couldn’t believe what I was reading and it had so many red herrings just to throw us off.
Kett is a shell of a man now, haunted by everything he’s done and lived through. Can he take anymore ?.
I just loved his family and love hearing what they’re up to now, although I’d have loved to hear more about his mum in this book now that she lives with them.
This story was so disturbing I couldn’t believe what I was reading and it had so many red herrings just to throw us off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2026
Super a zábavní Šefinspektor Robert Kett
December 2, 2021
First of all.. Bravo Alex, yet another amazing addition to the Kett series. I say this every time I read a new one that it’s even better than the last, I don’t know how he does it!
My favourite thing about this series is I can never ever predict what is going to happen. I normally pride myself in being able to work out what happens or who the killer is etc but these books have me guessing all the way through and even then it’s a total surprise at the end!
I love these characters so much and I’m so truly hoping that Pete and Allie get some good news in Jaw Breaker, as their situation hits close to home for me.
Of course if you have not read any previous books please go back and start from Paper Girls, the connection and character development throughout the series is amazing and just reading one book wouldn’t do them justice.
Anywho, I recommend this series with all of my heart! These have been some of my most favourite books I’ve ever read.
My favourite thing about this series is I can never ever predict what is going to happen. I normally pride myself in being able to work out what happens or who the killer is etc but these books have me guessing all the way through and even then it’s a total surprise at the end!
I love these characters so much and I’m so truly hoping that Pete and Allie get some good news in Jaw Breaker, as their situation hits close to home for me.
Of course if you have not read any previous books please go back and start from Paper Girls, the connection and character development throughout the series is amazing and just reading one book wouldn’t do them justice.
Anywho, I recommend this series with all of my heart! These have been some of my most favourite books I’ve ever read.
December 7, 2021
Another excellent book in this series! I love the way they are really exciting thrillers, full of suspense and twist and turns with moments of horror yet can also make you laugh out loud! Can’t wait for the next book!
December 11, 2021
Breathtaking!!!
What a book! I've read all of this series, loved every one, the characters are so good, the kids are hysterical, as is Ketts boss Clare, I laughed until I cried at a certain part😂, you are there with all of them, the writings that good it's like a movie in your head as you're reading it and that to me is the sure sign of a fantastic book! I can't wait for the next one now.
What a book! I've read all of this series, loved every one, the characters are so good, the kids are hysterical, as is Ketts boss Clare, I laughed until I cried at a certain part😂, you are there with all of them, the writings that good it's like a movie in your head as you're reading it and that to me is the sure sign of a fantastic book! I can't wait for the next one now.
January 20, 2022
It took me a while to start this book. Work and family life was busy. I had preordered it and the eBook dropped on release day. I just did not have the time to dedicate to it. Once I started I could hardly put it down, and I worked my way through it over 4 evenings.
This is quite the story and a surprising continuation of the Kett saga. This book was in a very different way. Kett is back on the job, he is part of a new team the Norfolk Constabulary’s Extreme Crime Task Force. It is a great story and immensely intriguing. There are several surprising twists in this tale and something very much unexpected.
If you have been fallowing the saga of DCI Kett this book is a must read. If you happen to be a fan of rough and tough action you will almost certainly enjoy this novel. And the other books in the series. This is the ninth of the DCI Kett stories that I have read, the seventh novel, and Kett made a brief appearance in The Harder They Fall, the first of the Softley Series of books. A previous volume, Whip Crack, makes reference to Six Days, Six Hours, Six Minutes, which is by far the darkest and grittiest of Smith’s mystery thriller novels. But this one is pretty close. All of his mysteries link together in some fashion. Very intense action and an even stranger feel. Kett is back on the job and they have a body to investigate almost immediately.
That body is found bound in thorns is discovered in Norwich’s historic Cow Tower. They find a severed finger in her mouth it is wrapped in a scrap of red cloth, and had the first few lines of a fairy tale.
“Once upon a time, a young maiden waited to be saved from a hideous monster.”
The finger belongs to another missing girl. DCI Kett along with Porter and Savage need to find her and to do so they follow a chain of blood-drenched riddles, each victim leading to the next and each crime more horrific than the last. They soon know that there are 4 victims planned, and all are already missing. They are being given 24 hours to find each of them.
The murderer likes to play games, leave hints. Include traps. And lead them on a chaise through, in and around the city. This new task force needs to pull this case out of the fire. Some videos of the team and other constables trying to arrest a man cause a media stir. And the team is threatened with being disbanded even before they finish their first case. Clare states at the beginning of the book:
““Things are going to shit out there,” Clare continued, his brash voice echoing off the walls. “People are getting worse. Crime is getting worse. We’ve seen it ourselves, with Stillwater and Percival and Figg and those newspaper girls. With the Bad Dog case, with Kett and his pig-faced bogeyman. With those poor young men sacrificed on the stones. And with the trafficking ring you all broke open earlier this year. These are cases we might have seen once a decade, but this has all been in the space of a year and change. I don’t know what’s going on but I do know that we are the thin blue line that stands between monsters like that and the good, decent people of this county and this country.””
And also:
““I debated for a long time about whether to set up a unit like this,” the Superintendent went on. “A unit with the power and the authority to go after the very worst of humankind. But I know now that we have no choice. I said it to you before, that sometimes in order to catch a monster, you have to send a monster.”
Clare looked at Kett.
“I don’t think you’re a monster, Robbie. Far from it. You’re a good man, but you’re also a man who won’t stop, a man who isn’t afraid of doing monstrous things. As much as I hate it, I know that sometimes that’s what it takes.””
But does Kett still have what it takes. After the other cases? The physical and emotional battering he has been through? The piece of a bullet still in his chest? His promise to his wife that he will always think of her and the girls before jumping in? But there is a reason Kett and the team do what they do:
““We lose a little bit of ourselves,” she said. “Every time. But it’s worth it. It has to be worth it. Right?”
“It’s worth it,” Kett said, looking at Beatrice again. They were closing the doors of her ambulance, ready to go, and she waved at Kett once more before he lost sight of her.”
Kett has specific skills, his intuition, his drive, and his relentlessness. But the team knows a tidal wave of darkness is coming for them. And they are all that stands between normal citizens and monsters. And they will fight to the last to stop the monsters. And forewarned is fore armed.
“Kett looked at them all in turn, thinking of his wife and the pig-headed man who’d taken her, thinking of his daughters inside the fire of Bingo’s apartment.
Thinking of the world he would be leaving his girls if he didn’t do what was right.
“If this is Hollenbeck, let them come,” he said, managing a grim smile. “I’m ready.””
I have stated before and say it yet again, each of the Kett novels are great crime mystery novels, and terribly interesting reads. They capture that British Crime Thriller feel very well. They are however, dark books with terrible crimes. And in this one the clock is ticking again, to try and save 4 more young women.
I am always a little nervous about where the series will go next. But we know the danger and crimes are far more sinister than they used to be. And as we have all been waiting, the force realizes things are getting darker, more dangerous, and more out of control. And sometimes you need a monster to hunt a monster. And DCI Kett is that monster!
I will be blunt and again state that this book and this series is not for all readers. It is very dark, gritty, and very intense. They are great thrillers. But not for all readers. Over ten years ago, I read and loved the Lockdown series published primarily for a young adult audience by Alexander Gordon Smith. And I loved those books and still recommend them often. But I now love the Kett books even more.
This is a great British Crime thriller, it is an excellent read in a very dark series.. And it leaves you desperate for the next offering Jaw Breaker.
This is quite the story and a surprising continuation of the Kett saga. This book was in a very different way. Kett is back on the job, he is part of a new team the Norfolk Constabulary’s Extreme Crime Task Force. It is a great story and immensely intriguing. There are several surprising twists in this tale and something very much unexpected.
If you have been fallowing the saga of DCI Kett this book is a must read. If you happen to be a fan of rough and tough action you will almost certainly enjoy this novel. And the other books in the series. This is the ninth of the DCI Kett stories that I have read, the seventh novel, and Kett made a brief appearance in The Harder They Fall, the first of the Softley Series of books. A previous volume, Whip Crack, makes reference to Six Days, Six Hours, Six Minutes, which is by far the darkest and grittiest of Smith’s mystery thriller novels. But this one is pretty close. All of his mysteries link together in some fashion. Very intense action and an even stranger feel. Kett is back on the job and they have a body to investigate almost immediately.
That body is found bound in thorns is discovered in Norwich’s historic Cow Tower. They find a severed finger in her mouth it is wrapped in a scrap of red cloth, and had the first few lines of a fairy tale.
“Once upon a time, a young maiden waited to be saved from a hideous monster.”
The finger belongs to another missing girl. DCI Kett along with Porter and Savage need to find her and to do so they follow a chain of blood-drenched riddles, each victim leading to the next and each crime more horrific than the last. They soon know that there are 4 victims planned, and all are already missing. They are being given 24 hours to find each of them.
The murderer likes to play games, leave hints. Include traps. And lead them on a chaise through, in and around the city. This new task force needs to pull this case out of the fire. Some videos of the team and other constables trying to arrest a man cause a media stir. And the team is threatened with being disbanded even before they finish their first case. Clare states at the beginning of the book:
““Things are going to shit out there,” Clare continued, his brash voice echoing off the walls. “People are getting worse. Crime is getting worse. We’ve seen it ourselves, with Stillwater and Percival and Figg and those newspaper girls. With the Bad Dog case, with Kett and his pig-faced bogeyman. With those poor young men sacrificed on the stones. And with the trafficking ring you all broke open earlier this year. These are cases we might have seen once a decade, but this has all been in the space of a year and change. I don’t know what’s going on but I do know that we are the thin blue line that stands between monsters like that and the good, decent people of this county and this country.””
And also:
““I debated for a long time about whether to set up a unit like this,” the Superintendent went on. “A unit with the power and the authority to go after the very worst of humankind. But I know now that we have no choice. I said it to you before, that sometimes in order to catch a monster, you have to send a monster.”
Clare looked at Kett.
“I don’t think you’re a monster, Robbie. Far from it. You’re a good man, but you’re also a man who won’t stop, a man who isn’t afraid of doing monstrous things. As much as I hate it, I know that sometimes that’s what it takes.””
But does Kett still have what it takes. After the other cases? The physical and emotional battering he has been through? The piece of a bullet still in his chest? His promise to his wife that he will always think of her and the girls before jumping in? But there is a reason Kett and the team do what they do:
““We lose a little bit of ourselves,” she said. “Every time. But it’s worth it. It has to be worth it. Right?”
“It’s worth it,” Kett said, looking at Beatrice again. They were closing the doors of her ambulance, ready to go, and she waved at Kett once more before he lost sight of her.”
Kett has specific skills, his intuition, his drive, and his relentlessness. But the team knows a tidal wave of darkness is coming for them. And they are all that stands between normal citizens and monsters. And they will fight to the last to stop the monsters. And forewarned is fore armed.
“Kett looked at them all in turn, thinking of his wife and the pig-headed man who’d taken her, thinking of his daughters inside the fire of Bingo’s apartment.
Thinking of the world he would be leaving his girls if he didn’t do what was right.
“If this is Hollenbeck, let them come,” he said, managing a grim smile. “I’m ready.””
I have stated before and say it yet again, each of the Kett novels are great crime mystery novels, and terribly interesting reads. They capture that British Crime Thriller feel very well. They are however, dark books with terrible crimes. And in this one the clock is ticking again, to try and save 4 more young women.
I am always a little nervous about where the series will go next. But we know the danger and crimes are far more sinister than they used to be. And as we have all been waiting, the force realizes things are getting darker, more dangerous, and more out of control. And sometimes you need a monster to hunt a monster. And DCI Kett is that monster!
I will be blunt and again state that this book and this series is not for all readers. It is very dark, gritty, and very intense. They are great thrillers. But not for all readers. Over ten years ago, I read and loved the Lockdown series published primarily for a young adult audience by Alexander Gordon Smith. And I loved those books and still recommend them often. But I now love the Kett books even more.
This is a great British Crime thriller, it is an excellent read in a very dark series.. And it leaves you desperate for the next offering Jaw Breaker.
November 15, 2025
I love the DCI Kett series, and this one had so many twists and turns it made it an even more enjoyable read. I love the fairy tale element to this, and the 'telling a story' element. The time pressure also made it really interesting too, and i found myself reading as fast as i could to find out if they could manage to save the remaining girls. This felt darker than some of the others in the series, but I think it was because of the 'game' element. It felt like the swimming pool scene was where things really took a turn. As always with this series, the humour throughout is much needed, and really relieves the tension.
July 3, 2022
If you aren’t adverse to gruesome crime scenes, then this maybe just be the book for you, I love this series. The plots are hard hitting, gritty, and highly original. The author always incorporates humour into his books, which compliment the gruesome plots. I can’t praise this book or this series highly enough. It is well-written, superbly plotted, and addictive.
December 5, 2021
Intense and dangerous!
Oh my goodness, there is so much tension and nail biting in this book I had to remind myself to breath occasionally. Incredible storytelling is quite simply an understatement, and fairy tales can even be manipulated by evil.
The author is a master of imagination with all of his books, but this one is quite simply mind blowing and absolutely ingenious in the devious evil contraption the killer is prepared devise, but what and why is he taunting the police?
There's so many red herrings, and twist that seem to jump out at you its impossible to get a handle on the killers ultimate aim, and only then does it really becomes clear at the bombshell ending, I certainly didn't see that one coming!
DCI Clare's team are as always magnificent in their quest for truth. Kett one of my favourite protagonist is back at work, though still suffering pain with the piece of bullet still lodge in his chest and as usual he ignores his health to save the lives of others. Every character in this series are fabulously well thought out personalities in their own right, though in this one I think PC Duke is a fabulous force of nature to be proud of!
Kett's daughters, as always popping up now and then to lighten the seriousness of the storyline, stimulating a fit of giggling from the reader at their antics and dialogue they are so funny!
A brilliant read and shocking realisation at the end, which poses some worrying questions, oooh, this author is so good!
Fabulous read don't miss it!
Oh my goodness, there is so much tension and nail biting in this book I had to remind myself to breath occasionally. Incredible storytelling is quite simply an understatement, and fairy tales can even be manipulated by evil.
The author is a master of imagination with all of his books, but this one is quite simply mind blowing and absolutely ingenious in the devious evil contraption the killer is prepared devise, but what and why is he taunting the police?
There's so many red herrings, and twist that seem to jump out at you its impossible to get a handle on the killers ultimate aim, and only then does it really becomes clear at the bombshell ending, I certainly didn't see that one coming!
DCI Clare's team are as always magnificent in their quest for truth. Kett one of my favourite protagonist is back at work, though still suffering pain with the piece of bullet still lodge in his chest and as usual he ignores his health to save the lives of others. Every character in this series are fabulously well thought out personalities in their own right, though in this one I think PC Duke is a fabulous force of nature to be proud of!
Kett's daughters, as always popping up now and then to lighten the seriousness of the storyline, stimulating a fit of giggling from the reader at their antics and dialogue they are so funny!
A brilliant read and shocking realisation at the end, which poses some worrying questions, oooh, this author is so good!
Fabulous read don't miss it!
April 29, 2022
I’m enjoying the Kett series. They get better as they go on.
The initial books were a bit far fetched but the recent reads have been gripping.
Kett and his team are good characters and the interaction with his children (three girls) is excellent.
I have just started book 9
The initial books were a bit far fetched but the recent reads have been gripping.
Kett and his team are good characters and the interaction with his children (three girls) is excellent.
I have just started book 9
January 6, 2022
Another amazing edition to the DCI Kett series. I just love these characters and how easy these books are the read.
December 11, 2021
Well I was totally pumped for this book to come out and man did it deliver. After so many books you start to wonder will this be the one that starts to fade the series. Nope forget that idea. This book was intense with hardcore nail biting drama.
There is a really really bad, bad guy and Kett is back on the job along with Savage, Porter and Clare. I woke up really early to finish this one today and I was not disappointed well… except now that I have to wait for the next book.
Definitely need to read these in order they are totally worth it. Thanks Alex Smith for this awesome series that just keeps getting better!!!
There is a really really bad, bad guy and Kett is back on the job along with Savage, Porter and Clare. I woke up really early to finish this one today and I was not disappointed well… except now that I have to wait for the next book.
Definitely need to read these in order they are totally worth it. Thanks Alex Smith for this awesome series that just keeps getting better!!!
December 9, 2021
Sweet Briar Rose -
Kett & co at the best still. Again, Alex serves up another face paced, exciting and humorous story. As normal, the story keeps you guessing who’s guilty, it’s full of humour and it leave you wanting to read the next instalment. I have said this before, you can read these standalone, but you will get far more understanding going back to the first in the series and reading them all. It’s well worth it and I thoroughly recommend it. All the books are great and you’ll not be disappointed. Thank you Alex. 5 out of 5 from me again! Can’t wait for the next episode.
Kett & co at the best still. Again, Alex serves up another face paced, exciting and humorous story. As normal, the story keeps you guessing who’s guilty, it’s full of humour and it leave you wanting to read the next instalment. I have said this before, you can read these standalone, but you will get far more understanding going back to the first in the series and reading them all. It’s well worth it and I thoroughly recommend it. All the books are great and you’ll not be disappointed. Thank you Alex. 5 out of 5 from me again! Can’t wait for the next episode.
July 13, 2022
I don’t know how Smith continues to do it, but another brilliant story in the DCI Kett saga. Really gripping storyline that had a satisfying payoff. Highly recommend.
December 5, 2021
The best yet!
Wow I just love this series, it just gets better. Alex Smith has certainly got an extraordinary imagination and is a fabulous story teller. Beware that if you pick up this book, forget about doing anything else because you will not want to put it down. I love all the characters including Ketts family and don't start me on Superintendent Clare! Omg I have only ever laughed as much when reading a
J D Kirk book featuring Hoon. Clare's description of the police chase had me in hysterics, I laughed so loud it hurt! Besides the funny parts, there is lots of action and holding your breath moments. One of my favourite authors whom never disappoints. Thank you, I loved it.
Wow I just love this series, it just gets better. Alex Smith has certainly got an extraordinary imagination and is a fabulous story teller. Beware that if you pick up this book, forget about doing anything else because you will not want to put it down. I love all the characters including Ketts family and don't start me on Superintendent Clare! Omg I have only ever laughed as much when reading a
J D Kirk book featuring Hoon. Clare's description of the police chase had me in hysterics, I laughed so loud it hurt! Besides the funny parts, there is lots of action and holding your breath moments. One of my favourite authors whom never disappoints. Thank you, I loved it.
December 2, 2021
Outstanding yet again.
I just love this author's books. The characters all gel together so well and I'm invested in them all. There are real laugh out load moments in the book, usually involving Colin Clare but there is such darkness in there too - just the right mix I think. I really enjoyed this book and completed it in one sitting which isn't unusual with this author! One request if I may, please give PC Duke a bigger role in future stories, he is a keeper and gives the reader some much needed giggles. There is a long time to wait until Jaw Breaker but I'm sure it will be worth it. Bravo Alex for a job well done.
I just love this author's books. The characters all gel together so well and I'm invested in them all. There are real laugh out load moments in the book, usually involving Colin Clare but there is such darkness in there too - just the right mix I think. I really enjoyed this book and completed it in one sitting which isn't unusual with this author! One request if I may, please give PC Duke a bigger role in future stories, he is a keeper and gives the reader some much needed giggles. There is a long time to wait until Jaw Breaker but I'm sure it will be worth it. Bravo Alex for a job well done.
February 22, 2023
A fairy tale for Kett.
Jenny had a bad reputation, her friends loved her, wanted to be her, their parents hated her. A bad influence, her junkie boyfriend, her need to lead.
Where was Jenny?, Her mother wanted to know, then Savage came to visit her mother and had the answer. Jenny was dead - murdered.
Kate got a list of Jenny's friends, Fran, Fortune, Batty & Poppy. None to be found - worried parents, all blaming Jenny. Where are they? Missing.
Will they be found? Are they alive?
That's the case facing newly reinstated DCI Robert Kett, head of the newly formed Extreme Crime Task Force.
Jenny had a bad reputation, her friends loved her, wanted to be her, their parents hated her. A bad influence, her junkie boyfriend, her need to lead.
Where was Jenny?, Her mother wanted to know, then Savage came to visit her mother and had the answer. Jenny was dead - murdered.
Kate got a list of Jenny's friends, Fran, Fortune, Batty & Poppy. None to be found - worried parents, all blaming Jenny. Where are they? Missing.
Will they be found? Are they alive?
That's the case facing newly reinstated DCI Robert Kett, head of the newly formed Extreme Crime Task Force.
February 21, 2022
One of his stronger ones to be sure. Clare and the staffs reaction to his verbal idiosyncrasies had me giggling as I read this one. I liked the nod to the fairy tales but I wish the ending hadn’t been quite so pat. I had guessed the bad guy as soon as he stepped onto the page. Other than that, a good solid episode in the Kett series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2023
→ my rating: 3.5 ★
“ Some people gave up the right to eternal rest. „
I really like this series as a whole but I didn’t love this one as much as the rest & it’s probably my least favourite so far. I enjoyed the creepiness of the fairy tales and the riddles but, I don’t know, it just took a while to get started and the climax was a little underwhelming. But still fun!
“ Some people gave up the right to eternal rest. „
I really like this series as a whole but I didn’t love this one as much as the rest & it’s probably my least favourite so far. I enjoyed the creepiness of the fairy tales and the riddles but, I don’t know, it just took a while to get started and the climax was a little underwhelming. But still fun!
December 12, 2021
My favourite plot of the series so far
To be honest I'm wavering between a 3 and 4 star rating but I raced through the book and found this to be my favourite plot of the series so far so I'm going with the higher.
There was genuine tension as to whether the women would be saved in time, and it was well paced, new events or characters progressing the plot without losing the mounting tension at any point. I did work out the killer - though not the motivation - which I thought would impact the drama of the unveiling but actually there were some good twists behind it all.
Character wise I liked that Kett was back in an official position, although I'm at the point where I perhaps want to see some more development of Pete and Kate alongside Kett's usual inner woe and family life. I would also say that the early books captured Kett as both the policeman and the father which added a nice balance and split the focus. We seem to have lost the father element since Billie has come back as babysitter and have fallen into a flatter cycle of Kett going home to find Billie with raucous kids fighting and she looks tired but is the Snow White of wives and mothers and cracks on with a smile.
I waver on the 3 star rating because I found some of the writing a bit repetitive, not only as a series but within this book.
The constant mention of Keefe's bullet itching/burning/causing pain at various points - it was maybe needed once to remind us but every time it popped up I rolled my eyes.
I also struggled with the jokes in this one. While sometimes I genuinely laughed at the banter, the constant tossing and 'it's not what you think it means' conversations are too much now. This is book 8, I feel like the joke is over now.
In summary, as a standalone book then it is 4 stars for an addictive plot, but as part of the series then closer to 3 stars because I want more development of the secondary characters and for some of the jokes to move on and to ease up on the repetition.
To be honest I'm wavering between a 3 and 4 star rating but I raced through the book and found this to be my favourite plot of the series so far so I'm going with the higher.
There was genuine tension as to whether the women would be saved in time, and it was well paced, new events or characters progressing the plot without losing the mounting tension at any point. I did work out the killer - though not the motivation - which I thought would impact the drama of the unveiling but actually there were some good twists behind it all.
Character wise I liked that Kett was back in an official position, although I'm at the point where I perhaps want to see some more development of Pete and Kate alongside Kett's usual inner woe and family life. I would also say that the early books captured Kett as both the policeman and the father which added a nice balance and split the focus. We seem to have lost the father element since Billie has come back as babysitter and have fallen into a flatter cycle of Kett going home to find Billie with raucous kids fighting and she looks tired but is the Snow White of wives and mothers and cracks on with a smile.
I waver on the 3 star rating because I found some of the writing a bit repetitive, not only as a series but within this book.
The constant mention of Keefe's bullet itching/burning/causing pain at various points - it was maybe needed once to remind us but every time it popped up I rolled my eyes.
I also struggled with the jokes in this one. While sometimes I genuinely laughed at the banter, the constant tossing and 'it's not what you think it means' conversations are too much now. This is book 8, I feel like the joke is over now.
In summary, as a standalone book then it is 4 stars for an addictive plot, but as part of the series then closer to 3 stars because I want more development of the secondary characters and for some of the jokes to move on and to ease up on the repetition.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2021
What a cracking book to end 2021 on and to complete my 2021 reading challenge with. I love dark books with dark themes that also have some humour to juxtapose the darkness and in Sweet Briar Rose, that's exactly what you get.
This is DCI Robbie Kett's first case back on the job after a lengthy absence and it's a humdinger of a case. I loved the threads of darkness from Fairy tales that enshrined the book in modern day evil. The plotlines were smoothly linked, the pacing was usperb and it was lovely to see a bit more of 'tossing' Clare in this one.
Kett's children always steal the show for me, but with Clare and the new DC who's name escapes me at the moment, they'll have a run for their money in this one.
I read this in two sittings and there were many occasions wher I was completely breathless. Great characterisation that just seems to get better and better as the series goes on. Can't wait for the next one.
This is DCI Robbie Kett's first case back on the job after a lengthy absence and it's a humdinger of a case. I loved the threads of darkness from Fairy tales that enshrined the book in modern day evil. The plotlines were smoothly linked, the pacing was usperb and it was lovely to see a bit more of 'tossing' Clare in this one.
Kett's children always steal the show for me, but with Clare and the new DC who's name escapes me at the moment, they'll have a run for their money in this one.
I read this in two sittings and there were many occasions wher I was completely breathless. Great characterisation that just seems to get better and better as the series goes on. Can't wait for the next one.
December 9, 2025
*** Šípková růženka ***
K této sérii se vracím vždycky ráda, a právě tato kniha mi znovu připomněla proč. Příběh má od první kapitoly skvělý spád, který je plynulý a díky tomu mě neustále udržoval ve střehu. Čte se lehce, ale rozhodně nepůsobí povrchně – tempo je promyšlené a gradace funguje přesně tak, aby člověk měl potřebu číst “ještě jednu kapitolu”.
Baví mě, jak autor dokáže udržet konzistentní atmosféru napříč celým vyprávěním. Postavy nejsou jen pasivními figurkami v ději, ale přirozeně reagují, chybují a posouvají se vpřed. Právě díky tomu nepůsobí příběh ploše a má v sobě energii.
Celkově je pro mě tato série sázkou na jistotu – je to přesně ten typ pokračování, na který se těším a u kterého vím, že mě nezklame. Není to příběh, který by se snažil za každou cenu šokovat, ale sází na dobře vystavěné napětí, atmosféru a plynulý děj, což je důvod, proč se k této sérii stále opakovaně vracím.
K této sérii se vracím vždycky ráda, a právě tato kniha mi znovu připomněla proč. Příběh má od první kapitoly skvělý spád, který je plynulý a díky tomu mě neustále udržoval ve střehu. Čte se lehce, ale rozhodně nepůsobí povrchně – tempo je promyšlené a gradace funguje přesně tak, aby člověk měl potřebu číst “ještě jednu kapitolu”.
Baví mě, jak autor dokáže udržet konzistentní atmosféru napříč celým vyprávěním. Postavy nejsou jen pasivními figurkami v ději, ale přirozeně reagují, chybují a posouvají se vpřed. Právě díky tomu nepůsobí příběh ploše a má v sobě energii.
Celkově je pro mě tato série sázkou na jistotu – je to přesně ten typ pokračování, na který se těším a u kterého vím, že mě nezklame. Není to příběh, který by se snažil za každou cenu šokovat, ale sází na dobře vystavěné napětí, atmosféru a plynulý děj, což je důvod, proč se k této sérii stále opakovaně vracím.
August 21, 2022
This review has been really resisting being written, as my tablet either freezes up or spontaneously aborts my prior attempts. 😩 Another winner by Alex Smith. The entire police force gets called in to solve the missing conundrum of the five abducted young women. And, as usual, the core team suffers grave injuries, danger and PTSD in doing their bit. Little Colin makes an appearance to once again save the day for Savage. The Chief continues to misuse the word "toss" in all its permutations to everyone's great glee. The villain is truly evil and the ongoing overarching plot of the series is menacingly still present. I loved the chase scenes in the allotments with shades of the Keystone Cops providing hysteria for all. Great comic writing there!!! This series is so great. Alex Smith is a god of writing.
December 21, 2021
The horror of fairy tales!
I think I keep repeating myself but once again we have a superb installment from Alex Smith into the brutal world of DCI Kett and the major investigation team. Within a very short time from rejoining the team, DCI Kett is pulled into the dark and gruesome world of monstrous crime. Alex does not hold back in his descriptive writing resulting in your toes curling at the torture and horror that the victims are put through. I had flash backs to the start of my married life as I lived in RAF married quarters in Watton for almost six and a half years and know the folklore of Wayland woods. I have happy memories fortunately and loved living there. I truly cannot wait for the next book
I think I keep repeating myself but once again we have a superb installment from Alex Smith into the brutal world of DCI Kett and the major investigation team. Within a very short time from rejoining the team, DCI Kett is pulled into the dark and gruesome world of monstrous crime. Alex does not hold back in his descriptive writing resulting in your toes curling at the torture and horror that the victims are put through. I had flash backs to the start of my married life as I lived in RAF married quarters in Watton for almost six and a half years and know the folklore of Wayland woods. I have happy memories fortunately and loved living there. I truly cannot wait for the next book
February 18, 2023
This book has it all. Likable and believable characters (way rarer to come by than one might think), action, stories that make the reader think about the world, realistic scenes tinged with a little bit of writing drama, and humour that brilliantly counters the most violent or heart-breaking scenes, so that you feel both guilty and grateful for being able to chuckle. This was my first book by the author and I am going to look for the first one right now.
Another plus for those who don't always start with the first book since it might not be as good as the later ones and thus deprives you of better books if you give up after the first one, there are no big spoilers of the previous books in this one.
Another plus for those who don't always start with the first book since it might not be as good as the later ones and thus deprives you of better books if you give up after the first one, there are no big spoilers of the previous books in this one.
December 19, 2021
Excellent addition!
Another excellent story by Alex Smith in the DCI Kett series! I always get excited when I see another book in this series up for presale! I was a little worried that he wouldn't go back, and that would be the end. And we have so much more to learn about him and his team. And he just made up with his mom, and it's not been long since he got his wife back. Too much to tell still, so I'm glad its not over! I will say that it is Alex Smith , JD Kirk, and David Gatword that really got me into reading British Police Procedurals. And lets not forget Charlie Gallagher! Now I can't read anything else!!!
Another excellent story by Alex Smith in the DCI Kett series! I always get excited when I see another book in this series up for presale! I was a little worried that he wouldn't go back, and that would be the end. And we have so much more to learn about him and his team. And he just made up with his mom, and it's not been long since he got his wife back. Too much to tell still, so I'm glad its not over! I will say that it is Alex Smith , JD Kirk, and David Gatword that really got me into reading British Police Procedurals. And lets not forget Charlie Gallagher! Now I can't read anything else!!!
February 6, 2022
Literally can't wait for the next book!
I've spent the last two weeks reading every book in this series. I just couldn't put them down! Sometimes I actually laughed out loud with the constant banter between Kett and Porter and other times holding my breath with anticipation...a brilliant combination. I can't recommend this series enough. I love the fact its based in Norwich and live not too far, my hometown is mentioned in most of books! I've throughly enjoyed reading these and look forward to the next one and hopefully many, many more. Long live DCI Robert Kett is all I can say. If you haven't read this then you're seriously missing a trick!
I've spent the last two weeks reading every book in this series. I just couldn't put them down! Sometimes I actually laughed out loud with the constant banter between Kett and Porter and other times holding my breath with anticipation...a brilliant combination. I can't recommend this series enough. I love the fact its based in Norwich and live not too far, my hometown is mentioned in most of books! I've throughly enjoyed reading these and look forward to the next one and hopefully many, many more. Long live DCI Robert Kett is all I can say. If you haven't read this then you're seriously missing a trick!
April 27, 2024
Another great instalment
Yet another great instalment in this saga. Just as character driven, just as engaging as each of the previous books. At this stage, I almost feel like I know the characters personally!
As usual, it opens with an unexpected situation which results in a murder victim (or missing person), and tension starts to build right away.
What I especially love about these books is how all of the information is given in the course of the story. There isn't some "magical" evidence coming to light to ultimately solve the mystery.
I highly recommend this book, along with the previous seven. Excuse me, I must go and begin reading book nine...
Yet another great instalment in this saga. Just as character driven, just as engaging as each of the previous books. At this stage, I almost feel like I know the characters personally!
As usual, it opens with an unexpected situation which results in a murder victim (or missing person), and tension starts to build right away.
What I especially love about these books is how all of the information is given in the course of the story. There isn't some "magical" evidence coming to light to ultimately solve the mystery.
I highly recommend this book, along with the previous seven. Excuse me, I must go and begin reading book nine...
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