About The Book
Accident or murder?
The first victim – a prominent local councillor, killed in a hit and run ‒ could be either, but the next bodies leave no doubt. A twisted killer is at large. And he’s not finished yet.
DC Beth Chamberlain, Family Liaison Officer, has to support the victims’ families, but before she can solve the crimes in the present, Beth needs to uncover the secrets of the past.
Meanwhile, the killer has her in his sights…
My Review
With thanks to the author for the copy received. Presumed Guilty is the second book in the series that features Beth Chamberlain. It can be read as a standalone novel, there are no references to the previous case. But you would benefit knowing about her personal life before reading it.
Beth is a family liaison officer. One of the reasons I enjoy this series is because even though it is police procedural it is from an angle that I don’t usually read. It shows that information revealed by loved ones can go a long way to solving a crime. It also shows how much of a case is solved from the less prominent members of the force.
This book starts with a suicide and shortly after a murder. Nothing is revealed about the suicide until the second half of the book. The murdered man’s reputation is in tatters, he has nobody to really mourn his loss apart from his wife who questions if she really knew him. But despite the feelings his death still needs to be solved.
Beth wants to be more involved in the case but is being held back for various reasons by some members in the team. As more people die she is one who has the ability to dig deeper and see the connection.
She is a character I really like, both in her personal life and her professional one. I think there is huge potential for the series to be a long running one. I want to see her family life become easier and for her career to develop. The team is a close one, there are loyalties there that you don’t see immediately.
The ending is slightly ominous, and I’m looking forward to reading what happens next.
