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DCI Kenny Murrain #5
Life Remains
LIFE REMAINSAn elderly woman is found dead, her death peaceful but unexpected. Days later, a middle aged former television journalist dies in a similar manner. Both deaths prove to be murder, but with no obvious links between the two victims. When a former neurologist is also found murdered, it appears that DCI Kenny Murrain is dealing with a random multiple killer.Murrain, meanwhile, is still dealing with the tragic fallout from his previous case, struggling to hold together a team which is fragmenting by the day. His problems deepen when a key member of the team is accused of leaking information to the media.When further murders occur among patients in a local hospital, Murrain begins to suspect that the killings are less random than they appear, and that he and his team may be in the killer's sights. With the death count rising, Murrain realises he has no choice but to seek out the murderer face to face…Praise for Alex Walters‘A talent to be reckoned with … A strong story line, muscular prose and a real sense of pace…a police procedural for a new age’ - Daily Mail‘…Right up there with the best police procedural thrillers of the last few years. Expect to hear much more of Walters in the future.’ – Mark Timlin
- GenresFiction
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2021
32 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 14, 2024
Life Remains by Alex Walters
Life Remains by Alex Walters is book 5 in the DCI Murrain series, this gripping paranormal crime thriller reaches its climax with more twists and turns.
I found this storyline brought all the loose ends together and was a dramatic conclusion to the series.
Highly recommended
Life Remains by Alex Walters is book 5 in the DCI Murrain series, this gripping paranormal crime thriller reaches its climax with more twists and turns.
I found this storyline brought all the loose ends together and was a dramatic conclusion to the series.
Highly recommended
September 5, 2021
One of those books I wanted to keep reading! Couldn’t see where this was going at all until pieces slowly started to fall into place. Another great story picking up from just after the last one ended.
4.7 stars rounded up to five (0.3 off due to a niggle about the end being a little sudden as I’ve said this before).
4.7 stars rounded up to five (0.3 off due to a niggle about the end being a little sudden as I’ve said this before).
August 1, 2025
Kenny Murrain does it again
We start this book as the next page from the previous one, with ... luckily Joe not dead as we thought, but still not in a good place, in a coma from nearly drowning, the rest of the team including a new face in colin willock are investigating various deaths by injection 💉 Kenny's spidery senses are turned up fully with glimpses of the man responsible for other deaths, we're led through each victims connection to Crichton as his mind games lead Kenny to finally talk with him and find out exactly how he was using his skills, before the final act. And Kenny sees how it all ends well, for Joe Marie and his team
We start this book as the next page from the previous one, with ... luckily Joe not dead as we thought, but still not in a good place, in a coma from nearly drowning, the rest of the team including a new face in colin willock are investigating various deaths by injection 💉 Kenny's spidery senses are turned up fully with glimpses of the man responsible for other deaths, we're led through each victims connection to Crichton as his mind games lead Kenny to finally talk with him and find out exactly how he was using his skills, before the final act. And Kenny sees how it all ends well, for Joe Marie and his team
July 18, 2022
I enjoy all of this author's books and this series is particularly good. This time Kenny and the team are dealing with the impact of the previous events and so they get a new team member for the time being. Alongside this, there are some sudden deaths which have come to light which turn out to be not as innocent as previously thought.
This was such an easy read. The characters are likeable and so easy to root for and the superb plot draws you in and you won't want to put this down until the end.
Looking forward to more in this series.
This was such an easy read. The characters are likeable and so easy to root for and the superb plot draws you in and you won't want to put this down until the end.
Looking forward to more in this series.
August 29, 2025
I really enjoyed the previous book, Stilled Voices, but this one was much ado about nothing. There wasn't a whole lot of plot and the middle flopped like a dead fish. Overall, it tended to be somewhat tedious. The 'paranormal' aspect was so thin it may as well not have been mentioned. After this one, I don't think I'll continue with the series.
Read
September 15, 2021Mind blowing!
Following the unexpected ending in the previous book, DCI Murrain's team has a new member and what would appear to be a straightforward death. However, there are strange forces at work and little is what it appears to be. An excellent, dark and compelling read and, as with all Alex Walters' work, it is highly recommended.
Following the unexpected ending in the previous book, DCI Murrain's team has a new member and what would appear to be a straightforward death. However, there are strange forces at work and little is what it appears to be. An excellent, dark and compelling read and, as with all Alex Walters' work, it is highly recommended.
April 11, 2022
Well I did plow on with the series….. The stories are (understandably) beyond belief but at their core, quite good. Some of the characters are developing but many are still two dimensional. This series is somewhat lacking….. but I’m not sure in what.
In the meantime, they are an easy, quick read that seems to have suited me during a period of poor health.
In the meantime, they are an easy, quick read that seems to have suited me during a period of poor health.
November 17, 2021
Better and better
This series goes from strength to strength, thoroughly enjoyable. This is the first time in ages that I have gone to end of a book whilst reading it to find out what happens.
This series goes from strength to strength, thoroughly enjoyable. This is the first time in ages that I have gone to end of a book whilst reading it to find out what happens.
March 16, 2023
Another great story
Another great story by Alex Walters featuring Detective Chief Inspector Murrian. Great characters and a very good story line.Alex has a gift of keeping you gripped right from the start. Looking forward to reading more.
Another great story by Alex Walters featuring Detective Chief Inspector Murrian. Great characters and a very good story line.Alex has a gift of keeping you gripped right from the start. Looking forward to reading more.
June 28, 2025
It's not paranoia if...
This is the second part of book 4 in the series.
Paranormal yes, as in not normal.
Not what is normally known as urban fantasy though. (Pun intended).
This world is a bad, bad place.
Almost as bad as the real world.
This is the second part of book 4 in the series.
Paranormal yes, as in not normal.
Not what is normally known as urban fantasy though. (Pun intended).
This world is a bad, bad place.
Almost as bad as the real world.
October 4, 2021
What a page turner
Bok number 5. Can't wait for number 6.
I was hooked from page 1. This really was the ultimate roller coaster of a book. Praise to Alex Walters
Bok number 5. Can't wait for number 6.
I was hooked from page 1. This really was the ultimate roller coaster of a book. Praise to Alex Walters
October 8, 2021
Ok nothing special
Misleading advertised as a paranormal thriller as very little paranormal elements in it. Just felt it could have been so much better
Misleading advertised as a paranormal thriller as very little paranormal elements in it. Just felt it could have been so much better
November 28, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed this latest in the Kenny Murrain series, especially with the twist at the end. Looking forward to no. 6!
April 20, 2024
My favourite of the series couldn’t put it down!
Jules gunn
Jules gunn
June 3, 2024
A good read, kept me hooked, love the team. The explaining of Kenny’s powers gets a bit repetitive and unnecessary if people are following the series.
November 28, 2024
This is the last book in the series and I give the overall series 5 stars. Loved it.
May 31, 2025
Highly recommend.
November 9, 2025
从第一本到最后一本，案情都是直接讲出来的。
September 11, 2021
This is the latest book in the excellent police procedural series from Alex Walters featuring DCI Kenny Murrain.
Murrain has a sense when things are not as they should be, leading to him "seeing" and sometimes hearing things that are not on others' wavelengths; however, this is not always a good thing.
Tasked with investigating a series of mysterious deaths in the community, all linked by a fatal injection of diamorphine, things are further complicated for Murrain when patients also start dying in the local hospital where a police officer lies unconscious and it gradually becomes apparent that an old adversary is at work. The unresolved business on Murrain's mind from the previous investigation proves difficult to deal with, especially as he feels responsible for the officer who has been hospitalised.
The web is a tangled one, involving a GP with a shady past, a retired war reporter, a sinister unnamed hospital worker, and an old flame of one of Murrain's officers.
As the tension ratchets up, Murrain again encounters his former nemesis - a very disturbed and psychotic individual - but what will be the outcome?
I enjoyed this book, especially as the investigation gathered pace. The introduction of some new characters, notably Colin Willock to the police team, gave an added edge of tension and there was a palpable sense of unease as the body count increased.
The ending had one rather dramatic piece of timing which some will see as a convenient plot device, but the way everything came together made sense and gave the investigation closure.
It will help to have read the previous Murrain book, Stilled Voices, first as events in this book follow on from its ending.
I am grateful to the author for an ARC of this book, in return for an honest appraisal.
Murrain has a sense when things are not as they should be, leading to him "seeing" and sometimes hearing things that are not on others' wavelengths; however, this is not always a good thing.
Tasked with investigating a series of mysterious deaths in the community, all linked by a fatal injection of diamorphine, things are further complicated for Murrain when patients also start dying in the local hospital where a police officer lies unconscious and it gradually becomes apparent that an old adversary is at work. The unresolved business on Murrain's mind from the previous investigation proves difficult to deal with, especially as he feels responsible for the officer who has been hospitalised.
The web is a tangled one, involving a GP with a shady past, a retired war reporter, a sinister unnamed hospital worker, and an old flame of one of Murrain's officers.
As the tension ratchets up, Murrain again encounters his former nemesis - a very disturbed and psychotic individual - but what will be the outcome?
I enjoyed this book, especially as the investigation gathered pace. The introduction of some new characters, notably Colin Willock to the police team, gave an added edge of tension and there was a palpable sense of unease as the body count increased.
The ending had one rather dramatic piece of timing which some will see as a convenient plot device, but the way everything came together made sense and gave the investigation closure.
It will help to have read the previous Murrain book, Stilled Voices, first as events in this book follow on from its ending.
I am grateful to the author for an ARC of this book, in return for an honest appraisal.
September 7, 2021
Yet another fantastic Kenny Murrain book from Alex Walters. This, to me, was even better than the previous 4 and they were also excellent. In this episode we see Kenny really feeling the effects of his “gift” as they start to take a hold of his brain and for once he finally seems to be able to work out what they are telling him. Once more his previous adversary, Crichton, is of concern, especially after what had happened to Joe Milton and Kenny finds it hard to forgive himself for the current state his close colleague is in. As the deaths increase the whole case takes a mysterious turn as more information is discovered on the victims, and when a member of Kenny’s team becomes involved things really start to kick off. I found the plot of this story so extremely interesting and had to keep turning the pages as I couldn’t bear to put the book down. The chase to the end really had me rushing to read more and the final few chapters were extremely intense and gripping. This series goes from strength to strength and I really hope we don’t have to wait too long for the next one, especially as I am looking forward to finding out whether Murrain is starting to learn how to channel his highly sensitive instincts.
September 15, 2021
You get loads of story for your money with Alex Walters: lots of plot, with twists and turns. And everything cleverly tied up at the end.
Murrain is definitely my favourite Walters character, with his enhanced copper’s instincts.
Murrain is definitely my favourite Walters character, with his enhanced copper’s instincts.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews