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DI Gardener #1-4
Northern Crimes, Books 1-4
Four brilliant crime mysteries in one box set.
They say it’s tough up north, and it will take a damn tough detective to keep abreast of the criminal underworld in Yorkshire and beyond. Enter Detective Inspector Stewart Gardener. A man with an axe to grind.
IMPURITY – Book 1
Someone is out for revenge. A grotto worker is murdered in the lead up to Christmas. He won’t be the first. Can DI Gardener stop the killer, or is he saving his biggest gift till last?
IMPERFECTION – Book 2
When theatre goers are treated to the gruesome spectacle of an actor’s lifeless body hanging on the stage, DI Stewart Gardener is called in to investigate. Is the killer still in the audience? A lockdown is set in motion but it is soon apparent that the murderer is able to come and go unnoticed. Identifying and capturing the culprit will mean establishing the motive for their crimes, but perhaps not before more victims meet their fate.
IMPLANT – Book 3
A small Yorkshire town is beset by a series of cruel murders. The victims are tortured in bizarre ways. The killer leaves a message with each crime – a playing card from an obscure board game. DI Gardener launches a manhunt but it will only be by figuring out the murderer’s motive that they can bring him to justice.
IMPRESSION – Book 4
Police are stumped by the case of a missing five-year-old girl until her photograph turns up under the body of a murdered woman. It is the first lead they have and is quickly followed by the discovery of another body connected to the case. Can DI Stewart Gardener find the connection between the individuals before the abducted child becomes another statistic?
This volume comprises the first four books in the highly acclaimed IMP crime fiction series featuring detectives Gardener and Reilly by Ray Clark. Each of the novels in this series can also be enjoyed as a standalone.
They say it’s tough up north, and it will take a damn tough detective to keep abreast of the criminal underworld in Yorkshire and beyond. Enter Detective Inspector Stewart Gardener. A man with an axe to grind.
IMPURITY – Book 1
Someone is out for revenge. A grotto worker is murdered in the lead up to Christmas. He won’t be the first. Can DI Gardener stop the killer, or is he saving his biggest gift till last?
IMPERFECTION – Book 2
When theatre goers are treated to the gruesome spectacle of an actor’s lifeless body hanging on the stage, DI Stewart Gardener is called in to investigate. Is the killer still in the audience? A lockdown is set in motion but it is soon apparent that the murderer is able to come and go unnoticed. Identifying and capturing the culprit will mean establishing the motive for their crimes, but perhaps not before more victims meet their fate.
IMPLANT – Book 3
A small Yorkshire town is beset by a series of cruel murders. The victims are tortured in bizarre ways. The killer leaves a message with each crime – a playing card from an obscure board game. DI Gardener launches a manhunt but it will only be by figuring out the murderer’s motive that they can bring him to justice.
IMPRESSION – Book 4
Police are stumped by the case of a missing five-year-old girl until her photograph turns up under the body of a murdered woman. It is the first lead they have and is quickly followed by the discovery of another body connected to the case. Can DI Stewart Gardener find the connection between the individuals before the abducted child becomes another statistic?
This volume comprises the first four books in the highly acclaimed IMP crime fiction series featuring detectives Gardener and Reilly by Ray Clark. Each of the novels in this series can also be enjoyed as a standalone.
1358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 21, 2022
905 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Ray Clark
38 books35 followersThe British Fantasy Society published Ray Clark's first work in 1995 - Manitou Man: The World of Graham Masterton, was nominated for both the World and British Fantasy Awards. In 2009, Ray's short story, Promises To Keep, made the final shortlist for the best short story award from The Tom Howard Foundation. Ray is based in Goole, and has set his Gardener and Reilly crime series in nearby Leeds.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 19, 2022
I enjoyed this set of 4 books. They kept my interest but I felt the last book wasn't quite as good as it got a bit confusing at times
September 22, 2022
Strange
I kept on reading these because he puts together great plots. But the stories read as if they were written a long time ago and given a few modern bits. Descriptions of decor,clothes, interpersonal manners all sound like something from roughly the early nineties. Reilly isn't old enough to have seen RUC service at the heighr of the troubles. There are only a couple of female officers. Everyone appears to be white, an oddity in multicultural Leeds. The plots are great, but the time distortions lowered the enjoyment for me a lot.
I kept on reading these because he puts together great plots. But the stories read as if they were written a long time ago and given a few modern bits. Descriptions of decor,clothes, interpersonal manners all sound like something from roughly the early nineties. Reilly isn't old enough to have seen RUC service at the heighr of the troubles. There are only a couple of female officers. Everyone appears to be white, an oddity in multicultural Leeds. The plots are great, but the time distortions lowered the enjoyment for me a lot.
December 15, 2022
A Menagerie Of Murders.
This set of 4 Books has kept me entertained for the whole of December.
DI Stewart Gardener and his sidekick Sean Reilly seem to attract the most bizarre of crimes but each stand alone story is intriguingly entertaining.
I suspect the procedures employed would, in real life, result in the collapse of genuine cases but if you can suspend any inclination to pick holes in the story you will find these books highly entertaining.
The author obviously has a very macabre view because all the crimes involve the most devious of plans and his murderers have no qualms about the depths of depravity they will sink to in order to carry out their heinous acts.
All in all a very satisfying romp into the minds of some very disturbed people.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection.
This set of 4 Books has kept me entertained for the whole of December.
DI Stewart Gardener and his sidekick Sean Reilly seem to attract the most bizarre of crimes but each stand alone story is intriguingly entertaining.
I suspect the procedures employed would, in real life, result in the collapse of genuine cases but if you can suspend any inclination to pick holes in the story you will find these books highly entertaining.
The author obviously has a very macabre view because all the crimes involve the most devious of plans and his murderers have no qualms about the depths of depravity they will sink to in order to carry out their heinous acts.
All in all a very satisfying romp into the minds of some very disturbed people.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection.
June 23, 2022
Excellent series.
Had an enjoyable few hours reading about DI Gardener and his partner Sean Reilly. All the books were well written and researched with each having a different mystery within.
Gardener and the team gardener work cut out each time in trying to catch the murderer. Great dialogue between Gardener and Reilly make for some light relief. Makes it worth following up this good start with the next in the series.
Had an enjoyable few hours reading about DI Gardener and his partner Sean Reilly. All the books were well written and researched with each having a different mystery within.
Gardener and the team gardener work cut out each time in trying to catch the murderer. Great dialogue between Gardener and Reilly make for some light relief. Makes it worth following up this good start with the next in the series.
September 23, 2022
I have reviewed each of these stories separately, so this is just a quick word to say that all four books are good crime thrillers with great characters and plots. The scenes are grisly and the motives are psychologically intriguing.
The writing style was good - fast-paced - though it was a little repetitious sometimes.
Overall, I thought each story was very good and can be standalone.
Recommended to those who enjoy this genre.
The writing style was good - fast-paced - though it was a little repetitious sometimes.
Overall, I thought each story was very good and can be standalone.
Recommended to those who enjoy this genre.
October 18, 2022
Too many errors.
A shame, because apart from being way over the top, the stories are quite good. For instance, it takes me less than five minutes to log on to landregistry.gov.uk and for £3 get a copy of any house registration, as long as that house has changed hands in the law 30 years. Plus other frustrating errors.
A shame, because apart from being way over the top, the stories are quite good. For instance, it takes me less than five minutes to log on to landregistry.gov.uk and for £3 get a copy of any house registration, as long as that house has changed hands in the law 30 years. Plus other frustrating errors.
March 25, 2022
Northern Crimes
Did not like this at all especially third book thought it was the work of a seriously disturbed mind. If you like that sort of thing then fine it's definitely the book for you. Far fetched complicated and an extremely uncomfortable read
Did not like this at all especially third book thought it was the work of a seriously disturbed mind. If you like that sort of thing then fine it's definitely the book for you. Far fetched complicated and an extremely uncomfortable read
October 6, 2022
Excellent series, especially loved the Leeds landmarks
DCI GARDNER, AND partner Sean Reilly make a great team, I was hooked from the very first book located in Leeds (where I'm from) some great books in the series, now looking for book 5.
DCI GARDNER, AND partner Sean Reilly make a great team, I was hooked from the very first book located in Leeds (where I'm from) some great books in the series, now looking for book 5.
Read
November 15, 2022Dynamic crime solving duo
DI Gardener and his Detective partner, Sean O'Reilly make a great team working their socks off to solve crimes. The storylines show how difficult it can be to put all the bits together and just how much work is involved in solving the crimes.
DI Gardener and his Detective partner, Sean O'Reilly make a great team working their socks off to solve crimes. The storylines show how difficult it can be to put all the bits together and just how much work is involved in solving the crimes.
April 13, 2023
OK but not brilliant
Read this set, however the time it took me to read it shows what I thought. Stories, characters, setting are all good but they just did not encourage me enough. None of them were page turner's that I couldn't put down. Like I say ok but not brilliant.
Read this set, however the time it took me to read it shows what I thought. Stories, characters, setting are all good but they just did not encourage me enough. None of them were page turner's that I couldn't put down. Like I say ok but not brilliant.
April 20, 2023
Best I've read for a long time
Northern crimes is a set of crime novels which in my opinion are the best I have read for some time, the plots are cunningly developed ,the characters skilfully painted and the stories brilliantly crafted,thank God there are more in the series
Northern crimes is a set of crime novels which in my opinion are the best I have read for some time, the plots are cunningly developed ,the characters skilfully painted and the stories brilliantly crafted,thank God there are more in the series
July 1, 2022
This author is clever and keeps me smiling, quirky charcters! As usual thanks great read
December 14, 2022
Great Stories
Enjoyed the ins and outs of Policing in many serious crimes. Characters were believable and stories/plots well thought out. Worth a look. Enjoyable reads.
Enjoyed the ins and outs of Policing in many serious crimes. Characters were believable and stories/plots well thought out. Worth a look. Enjoyable reads.
December 18, 2022
Northern crimes a great read
DI Gardener and Reilly form a great team to crack these four stories. Fully recommend keeps you turning pages to the end xx
DI Gardener and Reilly form a great team to crack these four stories. Fully recommend keeps you turning pages to the end xx
February 15, 2023
Great Series
4 Really good stories. Original and thought provoking.. I really liked Stewart Gardner and His side kick ..I do hope there is a long series from These Guys
4 Really good stories. Original and thought provoking.. I really liked Stewart Gardner and His side kick ..I do hope there is a long series from These Guys
March 3, 2023
An enjoyable read, with some at times complicated plot twists.
April 10, 2023
Enjoyable
Another new author to me which I really enjoyed. The books are fast pacing and I couldn't put them down.
Another new author to me which I really enjoyed. The books are fast pacing and I couldn't put them down.
April 12, 2023
Northern Crimes
Wow!! Never a Read a book with so many killings. And so many Suspects. All Guilty. Not counting the middle. Not counting the Kidnapping
Wow!! Never a Read a book with so many killings. And so many Suspects. All Guilty. Not counting the middle. Not counting the Kidnapping
November 19, 2023
Well Written, Keep Guessing
Sometimes gory but not boring. Things in each book are not repetious or standard fare. The characters have their own stories.
Sometimes gory but not boring. Things in each book are not repetious or standard fare. The characters have their own stories.
January 2, 2024
Excellent series. The characters are interesting and well developed. As the book progressed the suspect list grew and until the last few pages I had no as to who done it. Well work a read.
April 11, 2024
Really creepy good
I found these four stories had really creepy, but well written written killers. I especially enjoyed the first two, but liked all four.
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I found these four stories had really creepy, but well written written killers. I especially enjoyed the first two, but liked all four.
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April 3, 2023
The author is obviously very good. You can get carried away with inserting too many characters, and I would like to have seen fewer characters, which had been more fully developed.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews