Today I am sharing my review of DARKEST LIES by Chris Collett. This is book 8 in the brilliant Detective Mariner series and is a stunning read.
DARKEST LIES (Detective Mariner #8)
Format – Kindle
Publisher – Joffe Books
Publication Date – 20th September 2021
Genre – Crime thriller, mystery and suspense
Author – Chris Collett
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Discover a page-turning crime mystery from a No. 1 bestselling author.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Collett is a wonderful writer, subtle, clever, strong on atmosphere and character.” Yorkshire Post
Originally published as A Good Death.
One missing bridegroom. Two burned bodies.
A twisted motive that will shock you to the core.
When a frail old man dies in a house fire, Detective Tom Mariner races to the scene. The victim, Soltan Ahmed, was Mariner’s neighbour.
Who set the fire that took his life?
The race is on to uncover the truth, and that’s not Mariner’s only headache right now. He must also search for a bridegroom who vanished just weeks before his wedding.
A case of cold feet? Or something more sinister?
Then comes a find that changes everything.
The charred body of a Jane Doe.
Hidden in a back room of the house where Ahmed lived.
Who was she and how did she get there?
A totally gripping crime thriller perfect for fans of Peter James, Angela Marsons, Rachel McLean, Caro Ramsay, Helen H. Durrant, Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson.
WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING ABOUT DARKEST LIES:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “It would be impossible not to like Mariner!” Margaret, NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Fully fledged female characters distinguish Collett’s eighth police procedural.” Publishers Weekly
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Well written, thoughtful, and entertaining.” Booklist
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I didn’t want to put it down!” Anne
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I do like a good police procedural and this definitely fits the bill.” Elaine
THE SETTING
Birmingham is a city of stark contrasts with a rich cultural and historical heritage. Playing a key role in the industrial revolution, it helped shape the nation’s manufacturing industry
But with its many green spaces, Birmingham also borders on the beautiful countryside of Worcestershire and Warwickshire, is just a few miles from Stratford on Avon and a short drive from the wild country of mid-Wales.
Birmingham’s population is large and ethnically diverse, and while urban regeneration has forged a modern and culturally vibrant city, the decaying remnants of the industrial past and 1960s concrete jungle give it a unique and gritty character; the dark underbelly policed by DI Tom Mariner and his team.
THE DETECTIVE
Detective Inspector Tom Mariner is, on the surface, an average dedicated policeman, but his experiences as a younger man have given him an insight into life on the dark side, and a clear sense of right and wrong. Mariner has little interest in material things. He lives in a modest canal-side cottage, enjoys the occasional (real) beer and game of dominoes and drives an old car. He is most at home in the outdoors, with an OS map and a compass, and in times of crisis, will take off and walk for miles in any weather.
DI MARINER SERIES
Book 1: DEADLY LIES
Book 2: INNOCENT LIES
Book 3: KILLER LIES
Book 4: BABY LIES
Book 5: MARRIED LIES
Book 6: BURIED LIES
Book 7: MISSING LIES
Book 8: DARKEST LIES
Review
This is book 8 in the Detective Mariner series but they do work perfectly as stand alone.
Mariner has been to a party and is happily sleeping it off with Suzy when he is woken by the smell of smoke. Not his house on fire but one nearby and his inbuilt instinct to help has him hastily putting on clothes and dashing to the scene. He helps the mother and her children escape but is too late to help the elderly father on the ground floor. As the fire investigation team get to work it soon becomes clear the fire was started deliberately but by whom?
Running alongside this case is one of a missing person who hasn’t been seen since since leaving a party where Mariner and his partner, Suzy were guests.
Suddenly finding themselves with 2 cases to handle and down a team member as Charlie is on leave, Bingley is sent to help out.
As the investigations progress it soom becomes clear that there are many secrets being uncovered and numerous leads to follow up.
This is a very intriguing story filled with suspense and many red herrings as the reader is taken on a twisty turny journey with many false leads and no apparent motive I had no idea who or why until the very end.
The addition of Bingley to the character list added interest as the reader soon realises that behind the comical disaster prone exterior lives a very intelligent detective.
This is a brilliant read that will appeal to anyone who likes detective stories.
CHRIS COLLETT
Chris Collett grew up in a Norfolk seaside town where she worked in a boarding house (now defunct) a local bakery (closed down) and a crisp factory (razed to the ground). After leaving school she trained, in Liverpool, as a teacher for children with learning disabilities, including autism. Now a recently retired university lecturer, Chris is married with two grown up children and lives in Birmingham, UK on DI Tom Mariner’s ‘patch’. She has published short stories, teaches creative and crime writing and is a manuscript assessor for the Crime Writers Association.
BOOKS BY CHRIS COLLETT
DETECTIVE MARINER MYSTERY SERIES:
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DEADLY LIES
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INNOCENT LIES
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KILLER LIES
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BABY LIES
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MARRIED LIES
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BURIED LIES
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MISSING LIES
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DARKEST LIES
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DETECTIVE TOM MARINER BOOKS 1-3 BOX SET
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DETECTIVE TOM MARINER BOOKS 1-7 BOX SET
STANDALONE NOVELS:
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THE TRUTH ABOUT MURDER
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