Make Believe

Janine Lewis #3

by Cath Staincliffe

The sun comes out on a Saturday afternoon in Manchester. Proud young mum Claire is watching her three-year-old son Sammy in the local playground. A little girl falls. Claire bends down to help. When she turns round Sammy is gone.

As each day passes, the chances of finding Sammy alive get slimmer. DCI Janine Lewis understands his mum’s agony — she has four kids of her own.

Day nine. A little boy’s body is found in a sewer. Wrapped in a sheet.

But this is a case where nothing is as it seems. A shocking revelation will throw the investigation wide open.

Genres: Fiction, Crime, Mystery

166 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2013

About the author

Cath Staincliffe is a best-selling, award-winning novelist, radio playwright and the creator of ITV's hit series, Blue Murder, starring Caroline Quentin as DCI Janine Lewis. Cath's books have been short-listed for the British Crime Writers Association best first novel award, for the Dagger in the Library and selected as Le Masque de l'Année. In 2012 Cath won the CWA Short Story Dagger for Laptop, sharing the prize with Margaret Murphy with her story The Message. Cath was shortlisted again with Night Nurse in 2014. Cath's Sal Kilkenny private eye series features a single-parent sleuth working the mean streets of Manchester. Trio, a stand-alone novel moved away from crime to explore adoption and growing up in the 1960s, inspired by Cath's own experience. Letters To My Daughter's Killer was selected for Specsavers Crime Thriller Book Club in 2014 and featured on ITV3s Crime Thriller Club. Cath also writes the Scott & Bailey novels based on the popular UK TV series. Cath's latest stand alone book, The Girl in the Green Dress, was inspired by her experience as the parent of a transgender child. It tells the story of a transphobic hate crime and asks the question: how far would you go to protect your child? Cath is one of the founding members of Murder Squad - a group of Northern crime writers who give readings, talks and signings around the country. Cath was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, UK and now lives in Manchester, Lancashire with her family. You can follow her on Twitter, @CathStaincliffe, which she does when she should be busy writing!

Reviews

[Christine Rennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Make Believe by Cath Staincliffe is a very sad story of a young three year old boy going missing from the playground, when his mum was looking after another young child who had hurt themselves.
Despite DCI Janine Lewis and the rest of her teams best efforts the boy is still missing. Then a young boy’s body is found in a drainage ditch, they believe it to be Sammy.
Then after tests were carried out,it is found to be another young boy who has been killed.Then later the team are able to unravel the mystery and find out what happened to Sammy
An excellent third book in the DCI Janine Lewis police series.
Highly recommended.

[Bud Mallar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good parts and bar parts.

Thought the story line and the whodunit were good. Had me fooled until the light went on in my head.

Good police procedural

For me, too much of the personal stuff, although in real life probably exists somewhere in a detective's life. Ex, partner's new girl friend, kids... It added to the portrayal of the heroine and others, but, for me, in a very short book, too much time on it. And seemed like a very young adult approach.

One more to go to finish the series.

[Sebastian Barrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well crafted story with Janine and her team. An abducted child from a play park followed by the body of a child found in a drainage pipe. Could it be the same child? Believed to be until DNA said otherwise. Now all the stops are pulled out after this blunder.
Good easy reading that follows the case as well as the private life of Janine with her children. Enjoyed it!

[Lesley Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent mystery

Two little boys, one dead, one missing. The police have to figure out who did what. Lots of family problems and twists. They get there eventually, keeps you guessing a bit though.

[Julian Tremayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stresses and trains of Janine's life are mirrored in this extraordinary tale of a missing child, believed murdered. I hope there are more books to come in this series!
Julian Tremayne, Pocklington, East Yorkshire

[Patricia]

Heart wrenching situations realistically written. Solving murders have to exist in conjunction with officers personal life. Well shown.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

DCI Janine Lewis and crew investigate a missing child case in Manchester. A clear and effective police procedural. A good choice for a quick and easy read

[Michael Cordery · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read. Took me just 2 evenings to read the book. Probably the best of the 3 books I have read though I am getting a bit over dead children in UK crime mysteries, though in fairness this wasn't too gruesome with an explanatory ending which had a nice twist.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic! Great storyline, I couldn't put it down! The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is because I thought it was entirely too short!

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

a clear and strong storyline without the need for second and third sub-plots - supplemented by some human interest back ground of the police team

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A missing child provides a difficult case for Janine, and most of the characters seem to have relationship problems.