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DCI Tom Raven #2
Beneath Cold Earth
A buried skeleton. A dark conspiracy. A ruthless killer.
When flash floods unearth a human skeleton at a local beauty spot, DCI Tom Raven is called to investigate. Who is the dead man, and how did he end up there?
Help is on hand from forensic anthropologist Dr Chandice Jones who enjoys the challenge of working with old bones. But is Raven one challenge too many for her?
Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Becca Shawcross is called to a local nursing home where an elderly resident has taken his own life. The death appears to be a routine case of suicide, but Becca has her suspicions. Could foul play be involved?
As the two investigations widen, Raven and Becca begin to find common threads. And when things take a sinister turn, they must work together to untangle the connections between the two deaths.
Because some secrets are best left buried.
When flash floods unearth a human skeleton at a local beauty spot, DCI Tom Raven is called to investigate. Who is the dead man, and how did he end up there?
Help is on hand from forensic anthropologist Dr Chandice Jones who enjoys the challenge of working with old bones. But is Raven one challenge too many for her?
Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Becca Shawcross is called to a local nursing home where an elderly resident has taken his own life. The death appears to be a routine case of suicide, but Becca has her suspicions. Could foul play be involved?
As the two investigations widen, Raven and Becca begin to find common threads. And when things take a sinister turn, they must work together to untangle the connections between the two deaths.
Because some secrets are best left buried.
295 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2022
1673 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
M.S. Morris
22 books224 followersM S Morris is the pseudonym for the writing partnership of Margarita and Steve Morris. Together they write psychological thrillers and crime novels. The couple are married and live in Oxfordshire. They have two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
February 15, 2023
4/5 stars until that ridiculous ending.
June 10, 2024
The second in this series set in Yorkshire sees Raven investigating the murder of a German POW after bones are found in a local woodlands. We learn a little more about Raven's past and about the officers of the squad, and again he is at loggerheads with his equivalently ranked colleague. It was an enjoyable easy read, although the ending was a little far fetched.
I actually think this series is stronger that the Bridget Hart series set in Oxford by the same husband and wife team, at least so far, although both suffer from the recap for new readers.
I actually think this series is stronger that the Bridget Hart series set in Oxford by the same husband and wife team, at least so far, although both suffer from the recap for new readers.
January 1, 2023
Excellent book with great characters, action and mysteries behind the crimes.
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April 10, 2023
Another good book with a lousy ending.
Chandice at the end - stupid
Jess and Scott at the end - stupid
Becca at the end - ridiculous.
I will read number 3, and I am sure, just like number one and 2, they will be four star books until the mystery is solved, then the writer will pill stupid out of a hat to drop it to 3 stars.
Chandice at the end - stupid
Jess and Scott at the end - stupid
Becca at the end - ridiculous.
I will read number 3, and I am sure, just like number one and 2, they will be four star books until the mystery is solved, then the writer will pill stupid out of a hat to drop it to 3 stars.
December 5, 2023
I wanted to give #2 a chance and hoped the characters would be given more depth so that I could start to care about them as individuals and as a team, and that the story would move faster than in #1. I gave up half way through when I couldn't invest the slow moving plot or the one dimensional people.
June 2, 2024
very implausible
The main character would never be permitted to work on either case in the first two books and would have been fired without warning in both books because of inappropriate sexual behavior. The medical event that takes place at the end of this book is so impossible (and maddening) that I will not be reading and more from these authors.
The main character would never be permitted to work on either case in the first two books and would have been fired without warning in both books because of inappropriate sexual behavior. The medical event that takes place at the end of this book is so impossible (and maddening) that I will not be reading and more from these authors.
May 7, 2023
2.5 Probably won’t read any more books in this series. Muddled plot with unbelievable endings.
May 21, 2024
It was ok until the end. What a contrived, unbelievable ending - from the manager of the care home being the villain to Sam's amazing recovery!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 25, 2022
Even better than the first book
Read this in almost one go, great plot, likeable characters, real twist in the plot at the end, didn’t see that coming. Would highly recommend this book
Read this in almost one go, great plot, likeable characters, real twist in the plot at the end, didn’t see that coming. Would highly recommend this book
February 1, 2024
Very enjoyable, intriguing investigation and a likeable team of investigators.
December 16, 2024
Disappointing.
The story/ crime past+ present itself was actually quite promising.
Sadly it got lost amid all the personal drama.
I'd really hoped we'd left that behind us after that first story was resolved.
Now on top of yet another inappropriate romantic entanglement he's (Raven) also deliberately withholding potentially pertinent information not to mention what might well turn out to be a murder weapon...
Which made him worse than the DI, whatshisface Dinsdale, really.
Dinsdale is an idiot who doesn't know any better. Raven supposedly does and chooses to do these things anyway.
More than once I felt like I'd stumbled into a YA novel or like I was dealing with a hormonal teenager rather than a midde aged man.
I got to about 60 % last night when I had to stop for the evening... with these things percolating and bugging me all night ... to the point where I just can't be bothered to pick it up again
The story/ crime past+ present itself was actually quite promising.
Sadly it got lost amid all the personal drama.
I'd really hoped we'd left that behind us after that first story was resolved.
Now on top of yet another inappropriate romantic entanglement he's (Raven) also deliberately withholding potentially pertinent information not to mention what might well turn out to be a murder weapon...
Which made him worse than the DI, whatshisface Dinsdale, really.
Dinsdale is an idiot who doesn't know any better. Raven supposedly does and chooses to do these things anyway.
More than once I felt like I'd stumbled into a YA novel or like I was dealing with a hormonal teenager rather than a midde aged man.
I got to about 60 % last night when I had to stop for the evening... with these things percolating and bugging me all night ... to the point where I just can't be bothered to pick it up again
May 18, 2023
After their successful DI Hart series, I wondered if the authors could match it with the new Tom Raven series. The first book 'Landscape of Death' was well up to the mark.
Now with the introductions completed, the background checks done and the ex-Met DI Tom Raven confirmed transfer to Scarborough, there is another case for him to take on when local flooding uncovers a skeleton.
His number 2, DS Becca Shawcross is on a routine job of a possible suicide at an old peoples home.
What could possibly bring the two together - as you know they surely will be connected.
There is a good plot here and I appreciated the small number of characters involved - which should have made it easier for the armchair detective but the abundance of clever misdirection distracts him/her from the task.
The members of the team are becoming better known to the reader now and personal problems certainly produce extra surprises when the case has been tidied up.
Its straight onto book 3 , for me I think.
There is one small point however and I would welcome comment.
Early in the book when an old sixpence is found, Raven is told that the head on the coin was George VI, - "THE CURRENT KINGS GRANDFATHER". As I was reading this a day or two from Charles' coronation, I wondered if it would have been better to say "the Queens Father". Will the book be amended when William is crowned to refer to George VI as the King's Great Grandfather or am I missing something?
Now with the introductions completed, the background checks done and the ex-Met DI Tom Raven confirmed transfer to Scarborough, there is another case for him to take on when local flooding uncovers a skeleton.
His number 2, DS Becca Shawcross is on a routine job of a possible suicide at an old peoples home.
What could possibly bring the two together - as you know they surely will be connected.
There is a good plot here and I appreciated the small number of characters involved - which should have made it easier for the armchair detective but the abundance of clever misdirection distracts him/her from the task.
The members of the team are becoming better known to the reader now and personal problems certainly produce extra surprises when the case has been tidied up.
Its straight onto book 3 , for me I think.
There is one small point however and I would welcome comment.
Early in the book when an old sixpence is found, Raven is told that the head on the coin was George VI, - "THE CURRENT KINGS GRANDFATHER". As I was reading this a day or two from Charles' coronation, I wondered if it would have been better to say "the Queens Father". Will the book be amended when William is crowned to refer to George VI as the King's Great Grandfather or am I missing something?
Read
September 17, 2024A buried skeleton. A dark conspiracy. A ruthless killer.
When flash floods unearth a human skeleton at a local beauty spot, DCI Tom Raven is called to investigate. Who is the dead man, and how did he end up there?
Help is on hand from forensic anthropologist Dr Chandice Jones who enjoys the challenge of working with old bones. But is Raven one challenge too many for her?
Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Becca Shawcross is called to a local nursing home where an elderly resident has taken his own life. The death appears to be a routine case of suicide, but Becca has her suspicions. Could foul play be involved?
As the two investigations widen, Raven and Becca begin to find common threads. And when things take a sinister turn, they must work together to untangle the connections between the two deaths.
Because some secrets are best left buried.
Very good series.
When flash floods unearth a human skeleton at a local beauty spot, DCI Tom Raven is called to investigate. Who is the dead man, and how did he end up there?
Help is on hand from forensic anthropologist Dr Chandice Jones who enjoys the challenge of working with old bones. But is Raven one challenge too many for her?
Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Becca Shawcross is called to a local nursing home where an elderly resident has taken his own life. The death appears to be a routine case of suicide, but Becca has her suspicions. Could foul play be involved?
As the two investigations widen, Raven and Becca begin to find common threads. And when things take a sinister turn, they must work together to untangle the connections between the two deaths.
Because some secrets are best left buried.
Very good series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2025
It was ok. Not as enjoyable as the first one for me. I personally think Becca is the best character in the series. I think outside of Tom, she has the best character depth and feels the most realistic of the characters. My issue are the subplots that go nowhere. Or ones that are made to feel like a big deal but end up not being a big deal and it can feel as if the readers time was wasted. I didn’t buy Tom’s new love affair one bit, felt super rushed and forced in some parts. But it was ok, not bad, but ok. But the ending felt like a cartoon and I like cartoons but it felt ridiculous. What was that? It’s almost as if oh I don’t know how to end it, so let’s rush and cram as much as possible. Barely any proper build up. 3/5 stars for me. Not bad but not as good as the first book. I like the series enough to carry on reading
July 19, 2023
Can't decide if this is a 3 or a 4, but as I can't clearly remember any of the characters on their own, I'll give it a 3.5. I thought the premise was ok - no big ah-ha's, but it moved along nicely. Didn't believe the "love interest" for a minute, and I didn't buy the way the ending played out.
Actually, the problem for me was that nothing was fleshed out enough. Even if you're keeping a tight focus on the story and the characters, there has to be enough background and some thread to connect you continuously to it. I didn't feel that this book had that. Or it didn't have it in the right places?
I will give the authors' other series a go and see if I click with it.
Actually, the problem for me was that nothing was fleshed out enough. Even if you're keeping a tight focus on the story and the characters, there has to be enough background and some thread to connect you continuously to it. I didn't feel that this book had that. Or it didn't have it in the right places?
I will give the authors' other series a go and see if I click with it.
May 17, 2025
I wasn't thrilled with book 1, but decided to give book 2 a chance. Sometimes these series can take a couple of books to really develop the style and characters. Sadly, this one was worse than the first. So much ridiculousness with individual character stories, and then that ending just completely killed the book.
I tried but clearly, this author is not for me. Other readers rated the books much higher, so maybe you should give at least book 1 a try. If it doesn't grab you, then this one won't either.
I tried but clearly, this author is not for me. Other readers rated the books much higher, so maybe you should give at least book 1 a try. If it doesn't grab you, then this one won't either.
Read
August 13, 2025Tom's life continues to unfold with really good character development in the sense that aspects of his life are getting worked out as the series progresses.
After significant flooding, a body is revealed in a nature area. The body turns out to be old and the team has to investigate a WWII crime.
Becca's boyfriend has been on life support for a year, and his parents want to make some final decisions. Becca has been a staunch supporter for the past year and doesn't support the parents' decision.
After significant flooding, a body is revealed in a nature area. The body turns out to be old and the team has to investigate a WWII crime.
Becca's boyfriend has been on life support for a year, and his parents want to make some final decisions. Becca has been a staunch supporter for the past year and doesn't support the parents' decision.
February 18, 2023
Suspense....
Tom has a difficult life to lead. He hides so much. He doesn't open up and really annoys his colleagues. But he's not the only one! Others have their own secrets.
Twists and turns go through the book, first one person is suspected, then another, and at the end, the real murderer is exposed.
Then there's the hidden story of his sergeant. All that she's going through with her boyfriend.
So many angles.
A keep you on your toes book. Well worth reading.
Tom has a difficult life to lead. He hides so much. He doesn't open up and really annoys his colleagues. But he's not the only one! Others have their own secrets.
Twists and turns go through the book, first one person is suspected, then another, and at the end, the real murderer is exposed.
Then there's the hidden story of his sergeant. All that she's going through with her boyfriend.
So many angles.
A keep you on your toes book. Well worth reading.
April 8, 2023
That ending is a bit much!
Good story, great characters, lively writing but also overwritten and soap opera-ish at times. Quite undone by the ending which fortunately solved the murders but left me feeling manipulated and unsettled. In it are the seeds of the next in the series but...words fail me here...quite contrived. I guess what is nice about writing fiction is you can make it up any way you want to. Danielle Steele anyone???
Good story, great characters, lively writing but also overwritten and soap opera-ish at times. Quite undone by the ending which fortunately solved the murders but left me feeling manipulated and unsettled. In it are the seeds of the next in the series but...words fail me here...quite contrived. I guess what is nice about writing fiction is you can make it up any way you want to. Danielle Steele anyone???
June 6, 2023
This was an engaging cozy mystery. A body found buried for 75 years is unearthed, an investigation reveals the man had been murdered way back when, and a rash of murders soon occur in the village of Yorkshire. DCI Tom Raven investigates and finds there is a connection between the modern murders and the murdered body. Interwoven between the emotional entanglements of the detectives on the case, the conclusion is surprising. The story has some twists making it an entertaining read.
April 16, 2024
Engaging and gripping to the end
4.5 stars. The second entry into the DCI Tom Raven series saw three seemingly unrelated murders brought to justice in a satisfying and unusual manner. The husband/wife writing team continues to do a great job with character and story development, while at the same time maintaining the drama and intrigue along the way. While I did have an idea who was the killer, the motive was still elusive and well played. Another excellent quick read.
4.5 stars. The second entry into the DCI Tom Raven series saw three seemingly unrelated murders brought to justice in a satisfying and unusual manner. The husband/wife writing team continues to do a great job with character and story development, while at the same time maintaining the drama and intrigue along the way. While I did have an idea who was the killer, the motive was still elusive and well played. Another excellent quick read.
July 24, 2025
Excellent Read
Book 2 in the DCI Tom Raven Crime Thrillers Series did not disappoint.
There is an old murder and two present-day murders for Raven and his team to solve.
The author partnership of M S Morris weaves an interesting tale that twists and turns to its conclusion.
Again, I like the way Raven and his team's personal lives are developed alongside the crimes. The final cliff-hanger was brilliant and totally unexpected. Onwards and upwards to Book 3!
Book 2 in the DCI Tom Raven Crime Thrillers Series did not disappoint.
There is an old murder and two present-day murders for Raven and his team to solve.
The author partnership of M S Morris weaves an interesting tale that twists and turns to its conclusion.
Again, I like the way Raven and his team's personal lives are developed alongside the crimes. The final cliff-hanger was brilliant and totally unexpected. Onwards and upwards to Book 3!
November 2, 2025
Interesting story about a 75 year old skelton that was found after massive flooding. Interesting characters, a little too much of what I call fill, but a nice police procedure book. When will the author get rid of useless Dinsdale? a total useless character as far as I am concerned. Now we have murder, wrongful arrest and a crime committed in 1946. Lots of red herrings to keep you on your toes and a nice ending, Sometime justice is served in mysterious way. You just never know.
December 27, 2022
Excellent mystery
Well, MS Morris you Certainly know how to end a book. Eagerly looking forward to the next installment of the Tom Raven series. If you like British mysteries with much atmosphere and interesting supporting characters, then do yourself a favor and read this book. Start with book one.
Well, MS Morris you Certainly know how to end a book. Eagerly looking forward to the next installment of the Tom Raven series. If you like British mysteries with much atmosphere and interesting supporting characters, then do yourself a favor and read this book. Start with book one.
February 2, 2023
Another great book
This book goes into great detail, characters are well developed and bring new life to the storyline. Raven has lots of baggage in his family’s past which integrates with the history of the town which he moved back to after 30 years. Looking forward to reading more books in the series.
This book goes into great detail, characters are well developed and bring new life to the storyline. Raven has lots of baggage in his family’s past which integrates with the history of the town which he moved back to after 30 years. Looking forward to reading more books in the series.
February 21, 2023
Excellent Story
I have read all the Oxford series and thoroughly enjoyed them and decided to read the Tom Raven series. Unfortunately I have read book 2 first so now I will have to read the first book before I start on the third. This one was excellent though with a strong storyline and great characters.
I have read all the Oxford series and thoroughly enjoyed them and decided to read the Tom Raven series. Unfortunately I have read book 2 first so now I will have to read the first book before I start on the third. This one was excellent though with a strong storyline and great characters.
April 20, 2023
Really good
Old buried bones, DCI Tom Raven and team have their work cut out with this one. All the suspects are in their nineties or dead. The team have to figure out if it was murder, who by, when and why and was Tom's grandad Jack Raven involved? I can't wait to read the next book.
Old buried bones, DCI Tom Raven and team have their work cut out with this one. All the suspects are in their nineties or dead. The team have to figure out if it was murder, who by, when and why and was Tom's grandad Jack Raven involved? I can't wait to read the next book.
August 8, 2023
This got a bit ridiculous, so I skimmed it to get to the end, and I'm going to stop working through this series. DCI Tom Raven, the male lead, spent the novel speeding with impunity, and concealing and/or destroying evidence. The plot was reasonable, although the identity of the murderer was a bit of a surprise (as in it wasn't very convincing).
September 16, 2023
I am reading this because although not blown away by the first in the series I thought it had potential. being born just 12 miles from Scarborough it was like going back to my roots. Well this was a much better book than the first.A good storyline with plenty of twists and turns. keeps you turning the pages
February 4, 2024
A satisfying murder mystery
A satisfying murder mystery. I like Raven, the small team, and setting in and around Scarborough. An easy read, somewhat repetitious, and much preferred the first book, but also welcomed the character development of main players (albeit much of the material is contrived and some just not credible). That said, I will read next in the series.
A satisfying murder mystery. I like Raven, the small team, and setting in and around Scarborough. An easy read, somewhat repetitious, and much preferred the first book, but also welcomed the character development of main players (albeit much of the material is contrived and some just not credible). That said, I will read next in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews