The Portsmouth Murders

DI Andy Horton #1

by Pauline Rowson

Please note this was previously published as Tide of Death.

Meet Detective Inspector Andy Horton. It’s his second day back in Portsmouth’s CID and things aren’t going well.

DI Andy Horton is on his morning run along an isolated stretch of beach when he stumbles across a dead man. Stark naked and bludgeoned to death.

Eight months ago, DI Horton’s life fell apart when he was suspended for misconduct. His wife kicked him out and stopped him seeing his daughter.

The young woman who’d accused him went missing and the charges were dropped, but his personal and professional life are still in a mess.

And now it doesn’t look good for a detective under suspicion to be the one to find a dead body. His colleagues don’t want him on the case.

But this murder will challenge Detective Horton in every single way. And when another body turns up with the same cause of death, Horton suspects he might be the next person in the killer’s sights.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, British Literature, Amazon, Detective

194 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2005

About the author

Pauline Rowson is the author of thirty- one crime novels - nineteen featuring DI Andy Horton in the Solent Murder Mystery series; five in Art Marvik mystery thrillers series, six in the 1950s set historical mysteries with Scotland Yard's Inspector Ryga, who is sent out to solve baffling coastal crimes and two standalone thrillers. All her crime novels are set against the backdrop of the ever changing sea.

Reviews

[sophhhhh · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars | audiobook

no just no… there were so many comments that felt weird? i also just didn’t like the plot.. just a bit random and i felt like half of it didn’t make much sense

[Ellie Chambers · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried really hard to get into this, but couldn’t. The central character, Inspector Horton, seemed so flat to me, and the dialogue just wasn’t believable; it was written in the way a person writes, not how they speak – it was mechanical, and very predictable. By the end of chapter two I was bored. I didn’t care about the storyline or the characters, especially not Horton. I persevered, but the pace didn’t pick up, the dialogue didn’t improve, and the characters didn’t become any more three dimensional, or likable. It didn’t help that the book’s been badly edited, so I had to re-read a lot to fill in the punctuation that had been left out. The odd mistake here and there doesn’t bother me, but this book’s riddled with them so it did become irritating.

I started reading this book because the blurbs on Amazon said ‘A Marine Mystery series that can do for the Solent what Inspector Morse did for Oxford.’ I expected an intellectual and well-rounded copper, a good amount of plot twists, and to finish the book wanting to read the next. Instead I got a flat copper, a storyline that was all over the place, and I finished the book vowing never to read another Horton mystery.

Unless you really love yachts, and really love Portsmouth, and don’t mind the constant errors, you’ll probably not find much to interest you here.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Portsmouth Murders by Pauline Rowson is the first book in the new Solent Murder Mysteries series and I loved it. Especially as it's set in my home town, Good old Pompey, so this book was a dream to read and I was hooked at the very beginning.

I have moved away from Portsmouth now and now live in France But it was good to read and I dream about home......I will always be a Pompey girl at heart!

Looking forward reading more books By Pauline.

[Laurimini · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I feel like I have a pretty high threshold for somewhat messed up detectives because it's usually par for the course (and the fun) in police procedure novels. But there is only so much I will put up with. In this case, the stalker/ overly possessive detective self-pitying himself chapter after chapter became way too annoying. That along with descriptions of female characters "shaped like a triangle" (??), or throwing crossdressing, being transsexual, and having certain pornographic or sexual preferences all in the same box - I get that this book was first published in 2006, but the audio book was released in 2023 - really? Just, no.

Also, please repeat after me: female people above the age of 18 are called women, not girls. This is a hill I will fight and die on, thank you very much.

[Si Clarke · Rating 1 out of 5]

CW: Fat-shaming, kink-shaming, transphobia, emotional abuse (by the MC)

Holy mother of goat. Where to start with this one?

First off, the positives. The writing style was good. It seemed reasonably well edited. The story was mostly cohesive.

But…

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut…

First up, the main character is entirely unsympathetic. He's an entitled prick, driven by his belief that the world and everyone in it owes him. He's had a bit of a rough go in life, sure. But he's got no redeeming qualities.

Then we've got the things that come to light as he investigates the series of murders. The story dances around a storyline that's simultaneously prudish and prurient, complete with some deeply problematic assumptions, such as:
* Because a man enjoys wearing dresses, he must obviously also be into BDSM and 'all sorts' of 'unspeakable' things
* Equating BDSM with 'devil worship and black magic'
* Equating unattractiveness with 'badness'

Sigh.

And then there's the resolution to the whodunnit. This book relies on what is quite possibly the stupidest thing I have ever read as the clue that proves who the killer is.

Are you ready?

You're really not ready.

It's in the comments if you think you are (even though you're not).

Edited to give it a second star because at least the dog lives, so there is that.

[Bill Kupersmith · Rating 2 out of 5]

The setting brought back many happy memories of my sailing days at Itchnor and the Solent, but the plot seemed unlikely.

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book. Highly recommended.

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall relatively enjoyable, but a pretty obvious murderer and a side-story that didn’t really add anything in my opinion to the plot or character development.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm fascinated by the proliferation of dark violent police procedural fiction these days. Pauline Rowson must be thrilled by the trend, since she appears to be putting in considerable time and energy in writing textbook examples of the genre. As a reader, I seem to be attracted to books like this, almost as if there were a part of me that could not buy the ticket and take the ride with an author unless the story checked certain items off the list- deeply flawed characters suffering from tragic circumstances in their personal lives that seem to mirror some elements of a particular case.

The truth is that this genre represents a guilty pleasure for me. It seems I must visit these sad old friends on a regular basis, because . . . ? I'm not sure. Is it some sort of post traumatic ritual born of the tragedy in my own life? Is that why I must visit poor sad sack old Andy Horton, listening to his tortured guilt over injustice, abandonment by his ex-wife, and separation from his daughter?

It barely seems worth it anymore, though I must say that Rowson does a credible job with the literary formula. Andy endures suffering that only the thief on the cross next to Jesus could relate to. And here I am again, marching in lockstep alongside our hero as he trudges on his way to that fate. Himself does not pass up any opportunity to add insult to his injuries. He rubs salt into his very own wounds as he sees the case through to some sort of vindication.

Like Pinocchio, to become a real person, Andy must go through extreme abuse and near death, some of it a result of self sabotage and some completely undeserved, so that he can save nameless children in the name of the daughter from whom he has been estranged.

I had mixed feelings about the last element of this detective noir. Hurray for fictional Andy. Hurray for the very real children who are represented by the author of this book. Hurray for me. I slogged through this tale of woe and have been rewarded by the promise that part of the proceeds of this book are dedicated to real world children in desperate need of the help.

And here I am tempted to wonder about guilt, shame, and the value of exploiting real world horrors in the name of selling fiction. And whether or not the publisher’s intent to share proceeds with agencies that help children in such circumstances accomplishes anything other than a little whitewashing of collective guilt. Who knows whether the author’s and publishers’ actions are as noble as their fictional protagonist?

In the end, fictional Andy comes out on top and accomplishes a very noble end. One wonders what the author has in store for him in the future. Is he doomed to repeat his sorrowful failures for the pleasure of his readers? Will he continue to find ways to screw up his life so that someone/s can beat him to a bloody pulp while Andy manages to eke out yet another noble victory?

OK, THAT, my friends, is what I call a guilty pleasure. I chose to spend my time with this work of fiction, to read about fictional events in excruciating detail that make me cringe and leave me wondering whether I need to re-up for another course of antidepressants. Consider this review my semi-official debriefing.

As someone once said in the not-so-long-ago, there is a sucker born every minute.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is DI Andy Horton's second day back in Portsmouth CID after being suspended for eight months. Whilst out running in the early morning he trips over the naked battered body of a man on the beach. PC Evans has been stabbed the night before, the DCI is up before a promotion board and Sergeant Cantelli is having trouble with his fifteen-year-old daughter. But Horton's mind is on other things not least of which is trying to prove his innocence after being accused of raping Lucy Richardson. Beset by personal problems and aided by Cantelli, Horton sets out to find a killer who will stop at nothing to cover his tracks. As he gets closer to the truth, and his personal investigations start to uncover dark secrets that someone would rather not have exposed, he risks not only his career but also his life.

A good read for me

[Julie Freemantle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A large cast of characters made this difficult to follow at times. There were also a number of points in the storyline that seemed to be beyond believable. However, I like to read books that are set in areas that I know, so I'll give the second one in the series a shot and see how that one goes before giving up on them.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The start of a new series finds Andy Horton back at work following suspension, during which he separated from his wife due to his aggressive behaviour and drunkenness after allegations of rape were withdrawn. He is living on his small boat and finds a body on the shoreline while out running. and this soon leads to a missing person inquiry and more murders. A good place to bring this to a conclusion in less than 200 pages but the characters have few endearing features with the whole CID branch coming over as aggressive bullies. Let's see what the next instalment brings. 3 stars.

[Julie Footner-Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jumped about between past and present a bit too much for me but a generally good murder mystery.

[Terry Halligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really absorbed in reading this story and it was so well plotted and the book was peopled with some very memorable characters that I was transfixed until the final sentence.

This is a very gifted author and I have had the pleasure when I was working for eurocrime .co.uk in reviewing three of her previous stories BLOOD ON THE SAND, FOOTSTEPS ON THE SHORE and DEATH SURGE and so knew of the high standard of her work and had no hesitation when I saw that this book was available for review. Pauline Rowson emphasises the marine aspect in her novels and the quality of her very descriptive writing is superb, with her hero Andy Horton living on a boat and is always going back and forward over the Solent in an otherwise modern police procedural. I was gripped until the last page of this very well structured and plotted story. This was the best book of hers that I have read so far. Very enjoyable and strongly recommended.

[Cidney · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't an easy read really, to begin with I faced a shedload of characters almost all at once! You need to work through the other people in the book rapidly as the book flows rapidly. DI Andy Horton has just come back off an 8mth suspension because he allegedly raped a girl who worked for the local ganglord called Jarrett, and he has lost his wife and daughter in the process and it is his daughter he misses most, but his wife is preventing him from seeing her. He has a lot of anger to control here which doesn't make him someone whom you would want to work with. Anyway on his second day back he was running on the beach when he finds the body of a naked man spreadeagled there. He calls it in and then begins a complicated enquiry with two men missing around the same time and both sort of similar in appearances which is making it hard to sort out who is who. The other missing man is found soon after this one and he is dressed in women's clothing and found in a deserted building with drugs about him. Now this really does look contrived and certainly made me think was this man really a cross-dresser, as the magazines found in his yacht hadn't been read looking as if somebody was trying to frame him for something (I know I'm a genius).

Anyway it's beginning a little difficult now to follow the plots and sub plots and the police characters of whom they are a lot. Not helped with Andy digging deeply into his anger at his wife. Frankly if he was my husband I would have left him a long time ago, this is a man who clearly hangs on to a grudge forever. There are also other subplots too which have to be worked through. I stopped reading this three times for a break, then returned the next day and the day after and finally got to the end. I did enjoy the actual plots but not so much the solving of them. I felt like hitting Andy over the head myself, but not with any large implement which seems to be a regular occurence with him, by rights he should have been dead by now with brain injuries. Am not sure if I want to continue with this series as the ending didn't really suffice as the killer turned out not to be his nemesis Jarrett (for he had been murdered too) but someone who figured barely in the book. And I didn't really understand why this bloke had turned into a serial killer?

[Robert Crouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gritty, intense and complex story about DI Andy Horton, a man who has lost almost everything, following allegations of misconduct that remain unresolved. When he returns to duty, there’s no escaping the suspicion and rumours among his colleagues. At home, he’s lost his wife and daughter, with little prospect of winning them back.

You’d think finding a body on the beach at Portsmouth on the day of his return to duty is the last thing he needs. His colleagues aren’t sure he’s the person to investigate, especially when he uncovers links to a local businessman, who may be involved in events that led to Andy’s suspension from duty.

But as he digs deeper, the body count rises. He’s knocked off his motorcycle. Someone enters his house. And his life is threatened. Aware that he may not live to find the links that will solve the case, he needs to strike out on his own to confront an enemy that wants him dead.

It’s a complex puzzle, filled with suspects and false leads. Andy’s own problems and anger hamper his investigation as he struggles to make sense of what is happening. With plenty of twists, the story builds to a tense and surprising climax that kept me turning the pages.

While many of the story elements, character flaws and personal demons are standard in today’s crime fiction, they are carefully woven into the fabric of the story and the characters, making them more believable and natural.

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will start by saying that I am not a crime fiction reader. My extent of crime fiction is Sherlock Holmes and comparing anything to Holmes is going to be a bit unfair.

I got this book primarily because it was set in Portsmouth, my home town. The novelty was pretty good but it wasn't enough to keep me riveted. I found the plot to be confusing and a bit jumbled (I still don't fully understand the part everyone played in the crime) and I didn't really connect with any of the characters. Horton, our lead character, didn't really have a whole lot going for him and, while I wanted to sympathise with his impending divorce and the possibility of him losing the rights of seeing his daughter again, I just felt I was bashed over the head with it a bit too much. Rather than blending in with the story's plot (which it actually does, towards the end), it just felt like "oh, and don't forget he's having family problems!" which kept taking me out of the main storyline.

I thought that, maybe if the whole idea of his relationship with is wife was sorted out one way or the other then I would look into the next book in the series, but I just suspect that he will continue having problems with her and I don't think I can care about it.

But, like I said, I'm not a crime fiction reader. So that should probably also be taken into consideration.

[CR Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm; not sure about this book. I think the plot is overly complex for what it is. I kept having to flip back to remind myself of the characters and their contributions to the story.

If you have some knowledge of sailing and boating then this book might have some interest to you. I don't. The basic story of a cop who has been framed and disgraced is a little too hackneyed for my liking. He has to break all the rules to clear his name and try to win back his family....(Seen it all before...)

My biggest complaint is that after being 'knocked out' our protagonist is able to summon up the strength and energy to overcome his assailants; oh dear... I do wish authors would bother to acquire some basic medical knowledge about the significant impacts of brain injury after losing consciousness owing to a severe blow to the head. It is not possible to do what the author claims her protagonist does.

Best wishes to the author but I can say this book did not float my boat...I won't be reading anymore of the series.

[Joy Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a lover of mysteries and also enjoy Sherlock Holmes, Poirot, Miss Marple and other great mystery series. I found "The Portsmouth Murders" hard to follow. I almost gave up on it after the second chapter because I just wasn't getting into it. I decided to keep reading hoping that it would come together. To me, it felt a little disjointed and left me uncertain as to if I had missed something along the way. The story is about Andy Horton, a detective that had been accused of something that he had not actually done, but was taken off the force for awhile due to his superiors feeling he was guilty. His wife had tossed him out as well. I was disappointed that the book did not take the story a little further at the end regarding his wife and daughter....that part left me hanging. I do not want to give away any spoilers, so I will stop with my review. I hope that maybe you can give this book a chance and will see that it comes together for you better than it did me.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A police detective stumbles upon a dead body soon after his lengthy suspension

Andy Horton. A father, husband and determined detective. He is less than 2 days back from a long suspension when he finds a body while running.
He is an angry frustrated man who was accused of something he did not do. His wife threw him out and he is living on his small boat.
He has been ordered not to pursue the case that had him framed and set up. But, he continues to pursue it precariously. Any false move, he will be thrown off the force.
Andy and the rest of the squad begin to investigate the case of TBE murdered man. There are plenty of suspects and plenty of false leads to create a good solid investigation.

Portsmouth is on the southern coast of England, very close to the Isle of Wight. Some of the story is on the Isle.

[Steven Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is DI Andy Horton's second day back in Portsmouth CID after being suspended for eight months. Whilst out running in the early morning he trips over the naked battered body of a man on the beach. PC Evans has been stabbed the night before, the DCI is up before a promotion board and Sergeant Cantelli is having trouble with his fifteen-year-old daughter. But Horton's mind is on other things not least of which is trying to prove his innocence after being accused of raping Lucy Richardson. Beset by personal problems and aided by Cantelli, Horton sets out to find a killer who will stop at nothing to cover his tracks. As he gets closer to the truth, and his personal investigations start to uncover dark secrets that someone would rather not have exposed, he risks not only his career but also his life.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good start to a series. It took me a while to get into it as I found the main character Andy hard to root for. One minute, I felt sorry for him with his ongoing issues with his wife and daughter as well as the suspicions about his past activities in a recent investigation. The next, I didn't like him with his rage seemingly not buried so deep beneath the surface.

Despite this, I continued and I enjoyed the story and the way the seemingly different threads came together. I did think the ending was a bit abrupt and the personal side unresolved but I guess this will continue through the series. I will read more by this author to see what happens next for Andy and Cantelli.

[Barbara Deeprose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read these books when I belonged to the library and I am pleased to find them again on Kindle. I had forgotten the plot so it didn't matter I had read them before. DI Andy Horton was wrongly accused of rape and suspended from the force. He is just back at work and while out running stumbles across the body of a man on the beach. He begins to investigate but is also plagued by fears that his estranged wife will not let him see their daughter, Emma. i enjoyed this book and am already well into the second book in the series.

[AngelaC · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is either fairly poorly written or short on proofreading. Despite that, it moves along at a cracking pace with little time for the police to work on the details of one murder before the next corpse turns up. For that reason, it deserves three stars.
What attracted me to the book was its title. I have family links to Gosport and worked in Portsmouth for a year so could picture many of the locations mentioned.
If you are particularly fond of crime novels and willing to overlook some poor use of language, this may be the book for you. The ending is certainly unexpected.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was well told but I could not get into the subject matter. By that I mean it is about a detective returning from an 8 month suspicion after having been framed for a rape probably by people in law enforcement. He does nothing while on suspension and then somebody keeps trying to murder him while he is trying to polish up his reputation by solving a murder case.

The main protagonist as a victim that no one beliefs produces an anxiety that make one want to read something else.

[Bryony Best · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Portsmouth Murders
By Pauline Rowson

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I found this murder mystery book to be both engaging and fast-paced. I enjoyed the book being set in my hometown, even if the places mentioned were fictitious.

I enjoyed witnessing the story unfold and different characters who became suspects to the gruesome murders.

I highly recommend this book, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Danny Glover · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Portsmouth Murders Kill It

Enjoyed this book! The characters were engaging, but not overplayed. The plot was good, and kept me going. I’ll look forward to another in the sequence. A good mix of players and story. A downside: the text was not well edited. It needs another reader to correct that, because it’s distracting.

[Eirlys · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good read

A new thriller beginning in the Solent area. A D.I Horton was returning to work, after being suspended following a scandal. The action started immediately and so did murders. It was full of suspense, and twists, which increased the tension between the characters. I enjoyed following the storyline and it kept me excited by the mystery.

[Julian Tremayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first novel from Pauline Rowson - and it won't be the last. Written in Portsmouth, where part of my family came from, this immediately makes clear that the lead character has a past history which is still tormenting him. Rowson paints a real-life, difficult character and it is gratifying to see how the story evolves. Will try her other series as well.

Julian Tremayne, East Yorkshire

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

First for me of this authors writing. Dialog felt so forced and awkward. Within the first couple of chapters, I thought that this was a woman trying to speak as a man and failing. I will try something else of hers before I write her off. I think she should try a female lead.