DCI Whitney Walker is in trouble. She’s been threatened with demotion if she screws up another case. So, when a killer starts murdering female students at the local university, she knows this is her chance to redeem herself. Lastly, there's the solution. The case was ultimately solved not by Whitney's police work or George's input, but by an observation made by the pathologist. And I thought that more could have been made of the killer's motivation to do what he/she did. And that is it for the positives, I'm afraid. The writing is amateurish, all tell and no show, and the dialogue is wooden and unnatural. While the relationship between George and Whitney worked, every other relationship feels awkward and psychologically unbelievable. The solution to the mystery is obvious, but at the same time, pretty unbelievable. The several dead women are treated by the narrative as disposable, and the tone felt exploitative.

After reading the previous book 0, This is book 1. This book sees the then DS Whitney Walker from book 0, fast forwarded 10 years and she is now a DCI. All was going well in her career and role when things go pear shaped, a drug bust that her always reliable informant got spectacularly wrong. That case is briefly referred to and that mistake means her job is on the line. So everything is on the line with this current case.I enjoyed the first book and am happy to say I enjoyed this one even more. The plot was tight and the writing style drew me straight in. I'm enjoying the character development, not just of Whitney and George but of the police team and even Whitney's unpredictable and unlikable superior, Jamieson. Whitney Walker, an accomplished Detective Chief Inspector and devoted single mother, sees her career hanging in the balance due to a past error. However, when a brutal serial killer emerges on the scene, she recognizes it as her golden opportunity for redemption, or, alternatively, a potentially catastrophic career-ender. As she delves deeper into the mystery, the assistance she receives from Dr. Georgina Cavendish, a university lecturer who abandons her solitary academic sphere after the murder of one of her students, becomes invaluable.

Things heat up too much when the killer goes after, Whitney’s daughter, Tiffany, a university student at the college. Another murder in the (fictitious) town of Lenchester is offered us by prolific writer Sally Rigby (5 novels in a year and that without losing anything in quality or thrill-level!) A rich older woman is found dead in her bed, strangled with a pink chiffon scarf. A MO that resembles that of the never caught Lenchester strangler who was active in the 1980ies when he killed 6 women. There was a suspect but when he murdered his own wife and was put in jail for that, the investigations were suspended and the murders stopped. DCI Walker tries to get in touch with her old boss who was SIO on that case but he’s in Egypt. It’s unlikely that the original suspect has anything to do with this murder as the man is in his 80ies and suffering from dementia (but maybe less than he lets on?) It doesn’t take long before 2 other murders on rich elder ladies occur. What do the victims have in common; gardening, art, volunteer work, clubs, …?

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Once again DCI Whitney Walker and Forensic Psychologist Georgina Cavendish are re-united in the search for a serial killer. I’m still not totally convinced by the two main characters, but they are getting better. We get to see more of George in this book, but the relationship with Whitney still confuses me. This was my first read from author Sally Rigby, did like Deadly Games, liked both of the main characters and can't wait to see them grow with each new book. Walker and Cavendish over time combine forces to try to catch the worst serial killer in Lenchester’s history. Walker starts using a forensic pathologist to help with the profiling and that person is George. This was a mystery where along with Walker and Cavendish the reader also tries to figure out who-done it. Two uniquely different characters are drawn together to solve a murder..then another...and another...

Against her wishes, Walker’s boss brings in officers from another force to help the investigation and prevent more deaths, but she’s forced to defend her team against this outside interference.Three gripping crime fiction thrillers featuring DCI Whitney Walker and forensic psychologist Dr Georgina Cavendish. Finally, the 3 first books in the Cavendish and Walker series have been put together in a box set. If you haven’t bought the individual books yet, this is a great and cheap opportunity to meet this dynamic duo Once again Sally has come through with an AWESOME read! Each case is unique in it's own way and I look forward to trying to figure out who-done-it. There are many twists and turns leading to an unexpected ending. A very enjoyable read and highly recommended! The bodies of the victims are found mutilated, no clues left behind. Walker and her team aren't even real sure of the motive until the killer sends a letter to a local news station. In the letter, the killer states that there are many more to follow ... if the law can't put them away, then the killer can.

In the first four novels, we have seen DCI Walker and forensic psychologist Georgianna ("George") Cavendish work together to solve several clusters of murders involving serial killers. They are quite different people with individual strengths and certain weaknesses or "blind spots". Despite their differences, or because of them, they have managed to combine their talents to become a very effective crime-solving team. Their "blind spots" have at times caused some frictions, but more often than not, humorous interactions. At times however, they have put themselves into perilous situations inadvertently. But mostly, they have grown to value their relationship, and their various strengths, to look after each other and their friendship.

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Rigby was born in Northampton in the United Kingdom and lived all over England before making the decision to move overseas. She would eventually move to New Zealand where she still lives to this day and considers it to be the most beautiful place in the world. Sally has had a long love affair with crime fiction, films, and television shows. Her love of the genre really shows up in her writing. Not as much time to write today, but I want to get my two cents in. I always enjoy Sally's books. They are a pleasure to read and I have a hard time putting them down. Sometimes I'm up at 2 a.m. from a busy day and still feel the need to read at least one chapter before I go to sleep. This story had the added complication of a guilty conscience for George after she spent time advising Whitney's daughter Tiffany and was asked not to let her mother know. It totally messed with their relationship because George's discomfort over hiding something from Whitney caused her to appear colder, like she had been in the beginning of their relationship. But also, even without that, I'm kind of torn by the book as well. On the positive side, I absolutely could not put it down. I raced through it in three evenings / late nights, knowing full well that it would leave me tired at work the next day but not caring. Right from the second chapter, in which the body of a psychology student is found by her tutor, the pace is fast and relentless. DCI Whitney Walker, placed in charge of the case, has been threatened with demotion after screwing up over a drugs raid and now has a massive chip on her shoulder against her boss, who is ambitious for himself at the detriment of his own team and the sort of character we all love to hate. Dr Georgina 'George' Cavendish knows the murdered student and longs to help the police find her killer. But the body count continues to rise, with each victim another student killed in an identical manner. The gap between each killing is getting shorter, and to prevent more deaths is a race against time ...