None of the other characters are particularly well drawn but they don't need to be because this is a plot driven novel. Better than the first and I'm liking Ruth more here though I hope her relationship with Jake gets resolved in the next book or it's going to get old very fast. A more coherent effort than the first book, Dead Wrong, but still suffering from the issues of uneven pacing and poorly drawn supporting characters. There are small descriptions of what the killer did to his victims but I’m so glad the readers didn’t have to be a part of it.

As that is not possible, I have awarded four stars rather than three as the story certainly held my interest throughout. I enjoyed this read better than the first book the storyline was more intense reading,why not five stars for me to many storylines, one was cut short in my view.

Both the novels are fairly short but are full of action and suspense with good believable characters. While I enjoyed this book and I think it was not quite as strong as the first, it wasn't enough to deduct a star. A four year old is reported missing, but then the body of a woman is discovered in the back of a car following a car accident. Leave it to Helen to come up with a gripping and gritty police procedural that keeps the reader hooked on to the story till the end. I was able to figure out the identity of the killer quite early, and while that’s not a bad thing, I was disappointed when I learned his motive.

I have to admit that as the series goes on the romantic lives of the two main characters are starting to annoy me slightly, I just wish they would both make a decision on where they want to go with their partners. I was also very annoyed with one of the couples mentioned that they didn't think something was worth reporting - perhaps had they done so this would have been wrapped up sooner. The series is set in the fictional village of Leesdon on the outskirts of an industrial northern English city. The story, while gruesome in places, rattles along at a good pace and has a few twists and turns to hold one’s interest.His mother has died and Lydia has gone the last person he needs to see at his Mother's funeral is Fallon, his wayward cousin. Tom has a lot thrown at him - the unexpected daughter, the death of his mother, the murderous cousin, girlfriend issues, and more in this book. Ray Fallon also makes an appearance and it looks like Tom will never find any peace when it comes to his notorious cousin. Lydia is just slutty and Jones is a cheap-skate, too concerned with saving money than solving crimes. She is a good friend as well as a colleague, and she never hesitates to give her advice when it comes to Tom’s personal life.

We have suspicious deaths, it starts with a woman's body being found in the back of a car after a road traffic accident involving a pile up, however, its not all straight forward and more deaths are revealed along the way.mostly person with a man she's been dating who is having a real hard time being delegated to third place, after her job and her stress-relieving bird watching. As this series is shaping up to be a full series of rather short-but-enjoyable police procedurals, I couldn't help but wonder whether the focus was not a little too much on the personal lives of the main characters.

Although, if you look at how many are in the series, I'm sure you can figure out how it ends for at least one character. Longer isn't always better but in an extended format a book tends to have more than a passing interest. If you found the first book in the series a touch too gruesome for you I'm afraid this book isn't going to be any better for you if you've got a weak stomach, especially if you are afraid of the dentist!

I am really enjoying this series, getting to know the characters and enjoying how they solve the murders.