Two separate shootings in a single night leave the Peterborough Major Crimes Unit with two murder victims on their hands. But one of the bodies has been decapitated, the head nowhere to be found.
When a second headless corpse is discovered the following day, DI Bliss and his team realise they are hunting a spree killer. Worse still, these murders are not the first in the series, and more potential victims are on the killer’s list.
In a race against time to save further loss of life, Bliss knows he has to flush out the hired assassin. And in doing so, he and his team put their own lives at risk. But will everyone survive?
Tony J Forder is the author of the bestselling DI Bliss crime thriller series. Bad to the Bone, The Scent of Guilt, If Fear Wins, The Reach of Shadows, The Death of Justice, Endless Silent Scream, Slow Slicing, The Autumn Tree, Darker Days to Come, The Lightning Rod, What Dies Inside Us, Something More to Say, and The Honourable Rogue. There is also a prequel novella available called Bliss Uncovered.
Tony’s other books include two action-adventure thrillers, Scream Blue Murder and Cold Winter Sun, featuring reluctant hero Mike Lynch. Also, The Huntsmen and The Predators, feature DS Royston Chase, DC Claire Laney, and PCSO Alison May, both police procedural novels set in Wiltshire. In addition, Tony has written two standalone novels: a dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, and a suspense thriller set in California, Fifteen Coffins.
Tony's first 8 novels were originally released by a publisher specialising in crime fiction. In 2020, Tony decided to strike out on his own, and subsequently negotiated the return of all publishing rights to himself. Each of those 8 books has subsequently been re-released under his own imprint, Spare Nib Books.
Tony lives with his wife in West Sussex, UK, and is a full-time author. His first love was music, and he is currently gobbling up as many remastered vinyl albums as he can. Tony has played guitar since his early childhood, and despite selling off his collection at one point he has somehow managed to reacquire a new range and is up to 5 without knowing how.
Tony is currently working on Jimmy Bliss books #14, The Stonemason’s Song.
This is one of Bliss’s strangest cases yet. The team works out pretty quickly why the murders are occurring but seems to have no idea who is responsible. First they are called out to the tragic shootings death of one of their own, a civilian support worker on her way home to husband and child one evening. It is not long before another shooting death, this time in the neighbouring county of Lincolnshire, is reported. The same three shot pattern is present.
Shooting deaths come thick and fast, Bliss recognises the tattoo sported by one of the victims and this leads to the discovery of 4 more deaths in Romania. The police now have their links between the victims. They know why they are being killed. And they who else is on the list. The poor support worker was simply collateral damage in case she had seen something she shouldn’t have. You’d think it would now be easy to trap the killer but fate intervenes and makes for a tragic ending to this story.
Wow, this series is freaking excellent. And better still - it ain’t finished yet 😁.
I’ve read all of this authors previous books. Each one I find myself loving even more than the previous and wondering how that is at all possible. Yet again this author has blown my mind with another terrific read.
If you’ve read previous DI Bliss books your probably like me and looking forward to more Bliss. Well let me tell you that you won’t be disappointed as this was a great read.
This story is fast paced. Bliss and his team have their biggest challenge ahead of them. With resources from nearby stations being pulled in can they find the killer before they strike again.
There is loads I could say about this story. I will say it was a great read and I can’t wait to read more from him in the future.
I read this as part of the five book box set and it’s a stunning conclusion, though fortunately the series continues. DI Bliss admits he’s a bit of a dinosaur but he’s thorough and very loyal to his team. I find him a very believable character. As the series (so far) has progressed I’ve grown to like and respect him more. I’m intrigued to find out what will happen next in this very moreish series. If you want a crime series that grows in intensity and complexity, this is the one. A great read.
With each of the Bliss series books Tony Forder has excelled himself. This latest adventure will keep you guessing up to the end. The best one yet, intriguing, shocking and exciting from the very first page. Be warned you will not want to put the book down.
The processes and intricacies of two forces working together are explored and personal lives of officers are further enhanced.
When 2 people are murdered in shootings on the same night, DI Bliss believes they must be linked. Although both have been shot in the same way, the second victim has been decapitated and there is no sign of the head. DI Bliss and his team soon realise that there have been more victims, all decapitated and realise that they are on the hunt for a ruthless killer. Can they find him before anyone else is killed? I love the Bliss series but I have to say that this is my favourite to date. The storyline has been well thought out and whether you love them or hate them, the characters are excellent. The book brings police corruption into the story and is handled very well by the author. There are a lot of twists to the story and it is a fast paced book. I have to say that the ending blew me away (excuse the pun)! I cannot wait to see what will be in store for book 6 in the series. An excellent read and deserves more than 5 stars.
I love reading books that are part of a series and this is one of my favourites. Bliss is an all-out for justice kind of detective that is willing to cross the lines to get the job done. When Bliss is informed of the murder of one of the civilian population that works for the Police Department, the team is determined to catch the killer. Within hours there is a second victim and then a third but each of them has had their head decapitated. It soon becomes clear that Kelly Gibson had been collateral damage not a target but the team has no intention of easing up, especially when one of their own is dead. There are some major personal happenings going on in the team's lives at the moment, life-changing events that will impact their professional careers so there has to be a bit of a re-shuffle in the team. When three brilliant officers are ready to move higher in the department there aren't enough positions to accommodate them, I found it impossible to think of any of them transferring on to somewhere new. I knew that the dynamics of the team would change if this happened and just hoped for a solution to keep them together for future stories. When the murders cross into another police force jurisdiction it means working hand in hand to piece together the connection between the victims. This is a brilliant story in its own right, the reason behind the 'hit list' and what a list it was! The background story to this is pretty fascinating. I also love getting into the mind of the killer in a story to see how they tick. Whoa! this was one crazy guy which in turn got into my mind way after I finished reading! It wasn't just the telltale signature of his killings that got me it was his little extras before he killed them. This guy is one screwed up sadist. Being with this author's books right from the start has been just superb. His writing is intoxicating, his villans brutal and his ability to shock me so I punch the air of crumple unpredictable till the end of each book. This is again a totally stunning addition to this series. So hungry for the next book!
When Kelly Gibson’s body is found, shot three times, DI Bliss and his team are called in to investigate. Kelly was a colleague from the communications suite…
We again meet DI Bliss, DI Mia Short, DS Chandler, DS Bishop and DC Ansari, as the investigation starts, another murder takes place…..again 3 shots, but the head is missing!
As more murders are committed, the team are in a race against time with a Killer always seemingly one step ahead…but how? Is there a leak on the team?
This is a brutal case with links at an old case……but why has it taken so long for this retribution?
Another gripping thriller from Tony J Forder, with a compelling plot that also shows the vulnerable side of the characters. Brilliant.
Thank you to Bloodhound Books for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
One of the worst cases Bliss and his team must unravel.
“How soon can you get here, Bliss?” The caller is Detective Chief Inspector Edwards. When DI Jimmy Bliss arrives at the DCI’s office, he finds both her and Detective Superintendent Fletcher with grim faces as one of their own, Kelly Gibson, who worked in the communications suite is found, shot three times at close range.
Bliss and the most important members of his team of DS Penny Chandler, DS Bish Bishop, newly appointed DI Mia Short, DC Gul Ansari have no sooner started investigating Gibson’s death when a report comes in of another murder. The MO of three bullets is similar to Kelly’s murder. However, the murdered victim’s head is missing.
The first two murders are followed by others; all shot three times and all minus their heads. The team feels as though their efforts and progress is being hindered because the killer is always one step ahead of them. Is the killer fed information by a member of their own, a fellow police officer?
Tony J Forder has given DI Bliss and his dedicated team a series of brutal murders to solve. They quickly realise that the deaths related to a previous crime, which had occurred some time ago. Why the revenge now?
I love DI Jimmy Bliss and his team. They are a fantastic bunch of dedicated people who gel and their joint efforts always ensure that justice eventually wins. Unfortunately, sometimes at a considerable cost to their mental health.
I think this series of books would translate into an excellent TV programme and I sincerely hope that a script-writer or TV executive gets hold of the books and sees the potential. The writing is such that you, the reader, can visualise the scenes and the characters while reading. It’s this gift of writing – one that truly immerses the reader in the book, in which Tony J Forder excels.
Treebeard
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
DI Jimmy Bliss is back!! Need I say more? Fans of this series will already know what a thrilling time they are heading for, and to anyone who is unfamiliar with these books I would certainly recommend starting at book one, as there is so much exciting history to know about the detective and his team working in the major crimes unit in Peterborough. The start of the book finds Bliss exerting his own brand of pressure on a nasty little thug, all in the name of justice of course. Never one to adhere strictly to the rule book and very much old school, it looks like nothing has changed there! He is immediately called to a drive by shooting and is still at the scene when news of a second shooting comes over the radio. This is too much of a coincidence for him, and on arriving at the second crime scene it is immediately apparent the style of shooting is the same. Except for one big difference - someone has decapitated the second victim and made off with the head. The victims and therefore the motives appear to be completely different but eventually the detectives link the deaths and form a task force with senior detectives from neighbouring Lincs constabulary who have a theory on who is next on the killer's list and why. With another 4 linked deaths and potentially a lot more to come, time is of the essence when it comes to stopping a professional and ruthless assassin. All the old faces on the team from previous stories are here, and form a tight knit group but with the police seemingly helpless to get one step ahead of the gunman, it will take a very clever plan indeed to stop the killing. As I have come to expect from this author, the plot is well thought out, the book extremely well written and the characters interact beautifully with each other, the detectives displaying banter, bravery and loyalty in equal measures. With time against the team, the pace is relentless and catapults the reader into an ending they are unlikely to forget!
The best just keeps getting better. Another phenomenal read by Tony Forder. A tense and gripping opening first chapter seeing DI Bliss doing what he does best, getting justice....HIS way! But being summoned by his DCI and Superintendent while he was off duty meant that something big was about to happen....or already had. A complex and grizzly investigation then gets underway, with two killings in one night and the first victim being one of their own, Bliss and his team try to draw a link. The investigation is far from straight forward and Bliss finds himself taking one step forward then two steps back, could he be out of his depth? Can they solve this case before more people are killed? The body count is rising fast, too fast. Will the involvement of the Lincolnshire crime investigation team help? There is obviously a connection that they know about and are willing to join forces to resolve these unforgiving, bloody and brutal crimes. This is a truly intriguing read with more twists and turns than a rock and roll dance! Very tense and shocking throughout. What an ending...wasn't expecting that! Can't wait for the next in the series from this incredibly remarkable writer of crime.
I have read all the books released in the DI Bliss series so far, so when I saw that the author was releasing the fifth book in the series, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy, especially after reading that blurb!
I thought that the story was excellent, it was very well thought through and I loved how the story built up and all ends were wrapped up as I approached the fantastic ending. The characters are the ones I have come to know and love – this is probably the best book in the series to date and I can’t wait for the next one to be released!!
I liked the writing style and the pace was spot on as can be expected from this author - he is yet to write a book haven’t loved and I have read an awful lot of books!
The story had a great flow to it and it allowed for the action in the book to really carry the story though to the ending without dropping its great pace - It is 5 stars from me for this one, I thought it was a cracking story – very highly recommended!
I've been eagerly anticipating Tony Forder's latest Bliss and Chandler novel, and it didn't disappoint. The author is hugely talented and ranks, in my opinion, with the likes of Peter James and Val McDermid. An intriguing plot and great characters. Highly recommended, along with the other books in the series.
Jimmy Bliss and Penny Chandler have become one of my favourite detective fictional duos. Their relationship along with that of their whole team is really special. This book starts off with the death of one of their own. However there is much more to come. A bakers dozen, an old murder of a despicable character, the roma gypsy community all come together to make an absolutely thrilling story. The police procedurals by Tony usually take place over a week or 2. This is crammed into 3 days, to give you an idea of how crammed full of action this is. Id highly recommended this and all the previous books in the series.
The fifth breath taking outing for Bliss and Chandler is everything I've come to expect. Great characters, a gripping storyline and a whodunnit with so many twists and turns that the reader is kept on their toes. What begins as a double shooting quickly turns into something far more sinister and downright brutal and I found myself wincing at a couple of descriptions. It all results in a cracking piece of crime fiction and a finale that I'm not going to be able to forget for a while!
This was a page turner! I’ve grown to really like the self described, “Old School” DI Bliss. He can be a little crabby, but he cares and leads by example and that is meaningful.
A lot of hard, dedicated work appears in this book. Not in the craft of writing, though this must be taken into account. Most impressed by the real 'police procedural' that is presented to the reader. The story expands with intelligence and the plodding way of evidence gathering, of assembling clues, intuitions; following up on them--as needs be the case in any event. The procedure is boyfriend & true, yet open-ended enough to encompass new avenues, new possibilities. The mark of an good investigator is the ability to follow the reasonable evidence, then embrace other possibilities. The layered aspect within this book is not merely imaginative, but speaks to respecting the abilities & 'competency' of the antagonist(s). There is no ''give me" in this book, no unearned answer. And that is refreshing. The unfolding of the resolution is intelligent; and the cost is harsh.
Wow, this is one heck of an emotional rollercoaster. A definite page-turned that had me figuratively on the edge of my seat. Superb writing from Forder.
The death of justice - A fascinating and grusome plot that evolves in and around towns in the Shires of both Lincoln and Cambridge. As an advanced reader of this long awaited novel I was not disappointed: - DI Bliss is called into the station when one of their own is gunned down, then eerily another shooting several miles away is reported. Could they possibly be linked, two shootings on the same night? Bliss’s reputation as a maverick plus the logistics of cross County collaboration and the involvement of armed response units will demand diplomacy and careful management something not usually high on Bliss’s priority list! The plot evolves in a fast and furious series of events, tentatively linked to the death of a local and unsavoury business man months earlier and as the body count increases the usual team of Bliss, Chandler, and Bishop and Short are divided and spread across the investigation sites. Bliss feels out of his depth, there is a hit man on the loose one who leaves no clues or hooks to for the team to follow, worse still they think they know who the victims will be and are helpless to protect them. DCI Warburton (from Lincs.) is introduced into the ‘mix’ her specialist knowledge of the local Roma community proves to be an invaluable addition to the team in their information gathering. The obscure plot, motive and complex storyline of this latest thriller kept me captivated and I had no handle on who was so effectively hiding in the shadows and driving these horrific murders. However, the ending has a nasty sting in its tail one that I certainly did not see coming! Tony Forder is a master of suspense and in this his latest thrilling murder mystery, tells a grim tale of greed, power and twisted ambition. Rationality and greed are a lethal and dangerous combination of character traits and our killer has both in abundance. This author’s graphic story telling painted vivid pictures in my mind, some that cannot to unseen. I hope you enjoy the death of justice as much as I have.
Just finished Death of Justice The 5th in the DI Bliss series by Tony Forder and the last of the boxset I have read over the last week or two. I cannot praise these books too highly. As well as being well-plotted with good characterisation they also possess a raw emotion which makes it difficult to put them down.
What a rollercoaster of a plot line. I love Bliss as a character he is one I can enjoy over and over again. In this story more of his tender side is revealed as he recovers from his ordeal he went through in the previous book. He is now a more settled character I feel and more willing to show his hidden self. The author has yet again delivered a masterpiece of a police procedural plot line that will keep you enthralled till the last full stop. I felt i was living through all the emotions that Bliss endured as he went about bringing about justice and i was left bereft as i came to the end.I wanted the book to be as bottomless as Mary Poppins bag so that there was no last page it just kept going on and on. I am therefore so glad that there will be more of Bliss in the future.
DI Bliss and his team are up against a ruthless assassin in this book, not a common occurrence in the UK and something that no one is prepared for. This is a tough case, and as the victims pile up Bliss and a neighbouring police force pull together to try and apprehend the assassin without anymore blood being spilled.
This was fast paced and action packed as you would expect from Tony J Forder and with so many jaw dropping and heart stopping moments you can’t take your attention away for the briefest of seconds. This was a tough read because you are emotionally invested in this team (well at least I am) and seeing these people put their lives on the line is hard.
I can’t wait for the next one. The narrator did a great job as usual.
Would give this a six stars if possible. An excellent read which I thoroughly enjoyed. I must admit to wishing perhaps a different outcome as I do like a happy ending but life I suppose does not always pan out that way.
The 5 books in Tony J. Forder's DI Bliss series are all fantastic reads, each one better better than the last if that's possible. I was on the edge of my seat many times during each book. Very gritty reads, with laughs aplenty as well. The end of book 5 (The Death of Justice) also saw me moved to tears. The interaction between Bliss and Chandler is very enjoyable. I have no hesitation in recommending this series.
The ratings are because of the quality of writing, the in-depth knowledge, story line that runs throughout each of the five books to date. In this book 5 it's the only one that made me cry, but it was from both joy and sorrow. This book' as are the previous four are fabulous, breath taking nerve curling and heart stopping thriller. Thank you for the series to date, it's been exceptional reading. 😀😀😀😀
The fifth in the series and definitely the best so far. A serial killer with a particularly gruesome MO and a list of potential victims that is easily identifiable. But this killer is good. Nothing stops him getting his man - or woman. DI Bliss and the team fight not only the inevitability of the killings, but the knowledge that he has insider help. The tension in this one builds continuously to the shocking ending. Highly recommended.
what a finale !! I had to wait a while to read this episode as was committed to a 3 book series ... but all I can say is it was worth the wait .. tony you didnt disappoint again . all the regular characters were there and 5he plot was amazing it well deserved its 5 stars I gave it ty sue clayton
Another intriguing,gruesome case for Bliss and his team to solve. An assassin with a hit list pertaining to an old case, a ruthless man who remains hidden in plain sight. Police corruption and innocent casualties along the way blend into a story with lots of twists and turns to the plot.