What do you think?
Rate this book
Ben Cooper & Diane Fry #7
Scared to Live
Detective Constable Ben Cooper and Detective Sergeant Diane Fry must uncover the secrets of two grim murder scenes in England's Peak District--one inexplicable...and the other unspeakable.
How do you investigate the murder of a woman without a life? That is the challenge facing Cooper and Fry when a reclusive agoraphobic is found shot to death in her home by someone who took an exceptional amount of care in executing her murder. With no friends, no family, and virtually no contact with the outside world, the dead woman may have simply been an unlucky victim of a random homicide. Or was she hiding from a past that had finally come out of hiding to kill her?
At virtually the same time, a raging house fire claims the life of a young mother and two of her children. But as the debris is cleared, troubling questions remain in the ashes. Among them, how did the fire start, where was the husband at two a.m. the day of the blaze, and was it really the fire that killed his family?
Now, as Cooper faces the reemergence of a dark secret he'd hoped to forget, and Fry copes with problems both personal and professional, a horrific possibility begins to take shape: what if the two investigations are somehow connected? A killer is stalking the Peak District whose motives are a mystery and whose methods are unpredictable. And his next victims could very well be the only two cops who can stop him.
How do you investigate the murder of a woman without a life? That is the challenge facing Cooper and Fry when a reclusive agoraphobic is found shot to death in her home by someone who took an exceptional amount of care in executing her murder. With no friends, no family, and virtually no contact with the outside world, the dead woman may have simply been an unlucky victim of a random homicide. Or was she hiding from a past that had finally come out of hiding to kill her?
At virtually the same time, a raging house fire claims the life of a young mother and two of her children. But as the debris is cleared, troubling questions remain in the ashes. Among them, how did the fire start, where was the husband at two a.m. the day of the blaze, and was it really the fire that killed his family?
Now, as Cooper faces the reemergence of a dark secret he'd hoped to forget, and Fry copes with problems both personal and professional, a horrific possibility begins to take shape: what if the two investigations are somehow connected? A killer is stalking the Peak District whose motives are a mystery and whose methods are unpredictable. And his next victims could very well be the only two cops who can stop him.
630 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2006
61 people are currently reading
647 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Booth
54 books666 followersStephen Booth is the author of 18 novels in the Cooper & Fry series, all set around England's Peak District, and a standalone novel DROWNED LIVES, published in August 2019.
The Cooper & Fry series has won awards on both sides of the Atlantic, and Detective Constable Cooper has been a finalist for the Sherlock Award for Best Detective created by a British author. The Crime Writers’ Association presented Stephen with the Dagger in the Library Award for “the author whose books have given readers most pleasure.”
The novels are sold all around the world, with translations in 16 languages. The most recent title is FALL DOWN DEAD.
A new Stephen Booth standalone novel with a historical theme, DROWNED LIVES, will be published in August 2019:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drowned-Live...
In recent years, Stephen has become a Library Champion in support of the UK’s ‘Love Libraries’ campaign. He's represented British literature at the Helsinki Book Fair in Finland, appeared with Alexander McCall Smith at the Melbourne Writers’ Festival in Australia, filmed a documentary for 20th Century Fox on the French detective Vidocq, taken part in online chats for World Book Day, taught crime writing courses, and visited prisons to talk to prisoners about writing.
He lives in Nottinghamshire.
The Cooper & Fry series has won awards on both sides of the Atlantic, and Detective Constable Cooper has been a finalist for the Sherlock Award for Best Detective created by a British author. The Crime Writers’ Association presented Stephen with the Dagger in the Library Award for “the author whose books have given readers most pleasure.”
The novels are sold all around the world, with translations in 16 languages. The most recent title is FALL DOWN DEAD.
A new Stephen Booth standalone novel with a historical theme, DROWNED LIVES, will be published in August 2019:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drowned-Live...
In recent years, Stephen has become a Library Champion in support of the UK’s ‘Love Libraries’ campaign. He's represented British literature at the Helsinki Book Fair in Finland, appeared with Alexander McCall Smith at the Melbourne Writers’ Festival in Australia, filmed a documentary for 20th Century Fox on the French detective Vidocq, taken part in online chats for World Book Day, taught crime writing courses, and visited prisons to talk to prisoners about writing.
He lives in Nottinghamshire.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
September 11, 2017
Typical of this series the first 12 chapters introduce a plethora of characters to the extent that it is difficult to keep up with them and then the investigation proceeds with a number of obvious questions unanswered ie where did Rose Shepherd get an income, what is the provenance of the Bulgarian detective and others. Sgt. Fry is determined that the husband set the house fire and does not consider the evidence already given, very frustrating especially as the book the darts to an end again leaving unfinished threads. A good story but the loose ends give it a 3 star rating for me.
February 10, 2022
Enjoyed this book set in and around Matlock Bath reminding me of holidays in Derbyshire. 9/10
July 18, 2018
Diane Fry is a tough nut to crack, or, for me, even like much but, given her complicated history, she certainly earned my respect. Ben Cooper. more approachable but with his own issues, balances Diane in an odd way. There are more people with crazy baggage in this complicated and well written tale than you could shake a stick at but be careful at whom you shake that stick. Nope, I never saw that conclusion coming. # 7 in this series begs me to read the rest, and, simply to draw a smile from the niece, do it in order.
November 30, 2008
The main problem I had with this book was the payoff. It was too far-fetched and stretched credulity. Normally, this would result in a one or two star rating, but I gave it three stars because I simply love DC Cooper.
The story starts out with two separate crimes: (1) a woman (Rose Shepherd) is found dead in her home, shot twice through her bedroom window by a sniper and (2) a mother (Lindsay Mullen) and her two children die in a house fire.
DC Cooper is investigating the first one, DS Fry the second one. Of course, Cooper feels empathy for the victim, as always. What's surprising is the fact the DS Fry seems to feel some for the fire victims as well, which rarely happens. She also feels for the surviving child, a young girl named Luanne, who turns out to be adopted. DS Fry, you see, grew up in foster care and can relate to being unwanted by her real parents. (Sob.)
The death Cooper is investigating, that of Rose Shepherd, is more complicated. The woman was a recluse and finding any clues at all about her life has proven difficult. All he has to go on are a very few eyewitness accounts of people who'd actually met her and the fact that she visited a nearby town, Matlock Bath, a few days before she was murdered.
Diane Fry spends 3/4 of the book convinced the husband torched his house and killed his own family, refusing to see any other option (as usual). Cooper, on the other hand, takes his time before coming to a conclusion. He's more patient and more willing to see the bigger picture than Fry.
As it turns out, the two crimes are related, albeit tangentially. This, however, is the weakness of the book. Turns out Rose Shepherd brokered the illegal adoption of baby Luanne, but that ultimately had nothing to do with why the Mullen family was killed. It really was just a coincidence. There was also a mentally ill brother, a Bulgarian police detective, and a subplot/red herring involving Bulgarian organized crime and baby smuggling. Like I said, far-fetched, esp. for a rural area of England, the Peak District.
What saved the book for me, ultimately, was the personal stuff. DC Cooper has a new girlfriend, Liz Petty, who is a Scenes of Crime Officer (think CSI), which makes me happier than what is healthy, I'm sure. I don't know why I should care, really, but I do. He's also forced by his brother, Matt, to confront the implications of their mother's schizophrenia, which proves difficult for him.
Oh, and DS Fry? She's human after all, since she seems to develop a sort of crush on the Bulgarian police detective that comes to England to lend a hand on the Rose Shepherd case. It's doomed to fail, of course, but it at least shows she's not as cold-hearted as she likes everyone to think she is.
Good book, but Booth has written better.
The story starts out with two separate crimes: (1) a woman (Rose Shepherd) is found dead in her home, shot twice through her bedroom window by a sniper and (2) a mother (Lindsay Mullen) and her two children die in a house fire.
DC Cooper is investigating the first one, DS Fry the second one. Of course, Cooper feels empathy for the victim, as always. What's surprising is the fact the DS Fry seems to feel some for the fire victims as well, which rarely happens. She also feels for the surviving child, a young girl named Luanne, who turns out to be adopted. DS Fry, you see, grew up in foster care and can relate to being unwanted by her real parents. (Sob.)
The death Cooper is investigating, that of Rose Shepherd, is more complicated. The woman was a recluse and finding any clues at all about her life has proven difficult. All he has to go on are a very few eyewitness accounts of people who'd actually met her and the fact that she visited a nearby town, Matlock Bath, a few days before she was murdered.
Diane Fry spends 3/4 of the book convinced the husband torched his house and killed his own family, refusing to see any other option (as usual). Cooper, on the other hand, takes his time before coming to a conclusion. He's more patient and more willing to see the bigger picture than Fry.
As it turns out, the two crimes are related, albeit tangentially. This, however, is the weakness of the book. Turns out Rose Shepherd brokered the illegal adoption of baby Luanne, but that ultimately had nothing to do with why the Mullen family was killed. It really was just a coincidence. There was also a mentally ill brother, a Bulgarian police detective, and a subplot/red herring involving Bulgarian organized crime and baby smuggling. Like I said, far-fetched, esp. for a rural area of England, the Peak District.
What saved the book for me, ultimately, was the personal stuff. DC Cooper has a new girlfriend, Liz Petty, who is a Scenes of Crime Officer (think CSI), which makes me happier than what is healthy, I'm sure. I don't know why I should care, really, but I do. He's also forced by his brother, Matt, to confront the implications of their mother's schizophrenia, which proves difficult for him.
Oh, and DS Fry? She's human after all, since she seems to develop a sort of crush on the Bulgarian police detective that comes to England to lend a hand on the Rose Shepherd case. It's doomed to fail, of course, but it at least shows she's not as cold-hearted as she likes everyone to think she is.
Good book, but Booth has written better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2016
Den här sjunde delen kan nog vara den med den tunnaste historien, av olika skäl som jag egentligen inte kan gå in på i detalj utan att avslöja för mycket. Men om man inte bryr sig om sådana petitesser så är den lika bra som de andra. Läs mer på min blogg
January 26, 2021
Two disparate crimes find Detective Sargent Diane Fry and Detective Constable Cooper working separate investigations, although Fry is still overseeing Cooper's work.
While Fry is focused on a house fire in which three people died -- a case she's certain will aid her quest to move up the ladder at work -- Cooper is investigating the unusual shooting death of a 61-year-old recluse in a small village.
Cooper's brother, Matt, is overwhelmed with concern that the schizophrenia that manifested in his mother may have been inherited by one or both of his daughters. While Cooper discourages his brother from unnecessary worry, he does suggest Matt seek advice from a medical professional to allay his fears. In the meantime, Cooper himself has doubts about some of his life experiences and whether schizophrenia is something he needs to consider about himself.
The reader is treated to insights about D.S. Fry and her career aspirations and interpersonal relationships.
A good mystery; an interesting and complex police investigation.
While Fry is focused on a house fire in which three people died -- a case she's certain will aid her quest to move up the ladder at work -- Cooper is investigating the unusual shooting death of a 61-year-old recluse in a small village.
Cooper's brother, Matt, is overwhelmed with concern that the schizophrenia that manifested in his mother may have been inherited by one or both of his daughters. While Cooper discourages his brother from unnecessary worry, he does suggest Matt seek advice from a medical professional to allay his fears. In the meantime, Cooper himself has doubts about some of his life experiences and whether schizophrenia is something he needs to consider about himself.
The reader is treated to insights about D.S. Fry and her career aspirations and interpersonal relationships.
A good mystery; an interesting and complex police investigation.
June 20, 2012
After reading mysteries of varying quality by writers unknown to me, it was a pleasure -- a comforting, familiar pleasure -- to pick up where I had left off in Stephen Booth's Cooper and Fry series several months ago. I devoured it.
Then I lay back, somnolent from total satiation. That can be the only reason I took so long to write this review, for the book is good. In the previous books in this series, there had been much about Fry's or Cooper's personal stories woven throughout the mysteries, with angst and unhappy feelings dominating Fry's story. It was a relief that this book concentrated on the mysteries, with only a sliver of personal story. It's not that I didn't enjoy learning about these characters, what shaped them, how they came to be in Edendale, it's that it was time for a change-up and a lessening of the angst.
The mysteries themselves were satisfying -- complex, engaging the mind, unfolding right to the end. And I was rather pleased with myself that I saw the final detail coming, although I did not solve the central whodunnit part. I saw some reviewers had complained that there was too much detail. But I had just read a book with too little, which is extremely unsatisfying. You could shrink the book down to almost novella size, like this other writer had done their story, but then you'd miss out on the nuances, the red herrings, the feeling of the Peak District, the characters coming to life and drawing you in to their lives, the emotions, the mood, the colours and smells and sounds of the events and the landscape. You'd miss out on caring what happens. It's the details that separate a so-so writer from the ones who absorb you into their stories.
Then I lay back, somnolent from total satiation. That can be the only reason I took so long to write this review, for the book is good. In the previous books in this series, there had been much about Fry's or Cooper's personal stories woven throughout the mysteries, with angst and unhappy feelings dominating Fry's story. It was a relief that this book concentrated on the mysteries, with only a sliver of personal story. It's not that I didn't enjoy learning about these characters, what shaped them, how they came to be in Edendale, it's that it was time for a change-up and a lessening of the angst.
The mysteries themselves were satisfying -- complex, engaging the mind, unfolding right to the end. And I was rather pleased with myself that I saw the final detail coming, although I did not solve the central whodunnit part. I saw some reviewers had complained that there was too much detail. But I had just read a book with too little, which is extremely unsatisfying. You could shrink the book down to almost novella size, like this other writer had done their story, but then you'd miss out on the nuances, the red herrings, the feeling of the Peak District, the characters coming to life and drawing you in to their lives, the emotions, the mood, the colours and smells and sounds of the events and the landscape. You'd miss out on caring what happens. It's the details that separate a so-so writer from the ones who absorb you into their stories.
October 17, 2008
Although I enjoyed this latest in the Cooper and Fry series, and will be awaiting the next quite eagerly, I found Scared to Live a bit disappointing. Perhaps it's because I figured out the Big Surprise at the end of the book several chapters in advance. The book deals with the murder of a mysterious, reclusive woman, to which Cooper is assigned, and also with the arson death of a woman and two children, which Fry investigates. Not surprisingly, the cases turn out to be related, and both have a connection with Bulgaria. Suspects proliferate and witnesses fail to tell the whole truth for reasons of their own. Issues that crop up in the cases under investigation also resonate strongly with Cooper's and Fry's own personal issues. Somehow it just didn't come together quite as well as Booth's previous books did for me. I hope he's not getting tired of the series.
February 2, 2016
The thing I most liked about this book was the setting - areas of Derbyshire that I know fairly well and which are well described. The Police procedure was authentic as well, and overall the plot was well worked out.
However, it fell down a bit on the details, especially in regard to the forensics. It's perhaps because I know too much about the subject, but I'm disappointed to find a crucial plot point hung on an unlikely forensic recovery. I won't go into the details, not wishing to spoil it for anyone who's not as particular about it as I am!
Overall, it was readable, but a little too slow for a thriller, and a little too vague in the details for a mystery.
However, it fell down a bit on the details, especially in regard to the forensics. It's perhaps because I know too much about the subject, but I'm disappointed to find a crucial plot point hung on an unlikely forensic recovery. I won't go into the details, not wishing to spoil it for anyone who's not as particular about it as I am!
Overall, it was readable, but a little too slow for a thriller, and a little too vague in the details for a mystery.
January 20, 2014
This book was OK. There was a good plot, but it was revealed in an incoherent way, I felt. Why, for example, did we have a car exploded in the main street? It seems to have been just a distraction. I also found the detectives mannerisms a little intrusive. Perhaps if I had read the previous books in the series, it might have helped with that, but as often happens, I jumped in to a series in the middle. I also felt that the eventual killers were not totally plausible…. I don't see me reading the other books.
July 12, 2011
Two separate murder incidents occur within a week of one another in the quiet English Peak District backcountry. Are they connected? This is the second Booth police procedural I've read and it's every bit as good as the first. The characters are extremely well-drawn, the setting vividly rendered, and the police appropriately fallable. They go down many blind alleys before arriving at the solution. This is a mystery to get lost in until the satisfying (and surprising) conclusion.
May 28, 2009
This British police procedural has always been better than average, but this latest entry became a little tedious in the middle. It needs better pacing.
December 15, 2016
long winded and unnecessarily convaluted. this one was a struggle.
November 15, 2024
I believe I've read this book before,but hey a book is a book. I do know I've owned it for too damn long..
What i didn't know is that book is part of a series.
34 pages in and as much as I didn't mind the book, I got so confused. The reader follows multiple characters whose life overlaps due to living in the same community. But the problem is when you read a new scene, it starts off with a paragraph or two of pronouns before revealing a character name. So, you'll read a car scene to suddenly reading a bedroom scene to suddenly a crime scene. You'll really need a corkboard to follow the characters and their locations.
I don't think i was lying about needing a corkboard. This story weaves three different crimes, two of them easily connected to each other - after being explained, the third one is a bit more difficult to see.
With the amount of characters in this book, I lost track of whose who and who was the main culprit for a house fire and who the culprit was for the shooting.
Than it dabbles in mental health, using psychosis and bipolar as its stepping stone for two of its characters.
The book feels the need to give historical context to certain topics, while being heavy dialogue that refuses to be informal, even with civilIan's.
What i didn't know is that book is part of a series.
34 pages in and as much as I didn't mind the book, I got so confused. The reader follows multiple characters whose life overlaps due to living in the same community. But the problem is when you read a new scene, it starts off with a paragraph or two of pronouns before revealing a character name. So, you'll read a car scene to suddenly reading a bedroom scene to suddenly a crime scene. You'll really need a corkboard to follow the characters and their locations.
I don't think i was lying about needing a corkboard. This story weaves three different crimes, two of them easily connected to each other - after being explained, the third one is a bit more difficult to see.
With the amount of characters in this book, I lost track of whose who and who was the main culprit for a house fire and who the culprit was for the shooting.
Than it dabbles in mental health, using psychosis and bipolar as its stepping stone for two of its characters.
The book feels the need to give historical context to certain topics, while being heavy dialogue that refuses to be informal, even with civilIan's.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2018
I attended a very enjoyable talk by Stephen Booth and was inspired to read this book by his comments on writing a thriller. I inadvertently started with no 7 in the series and was quite disappointed. I don't know if it's because you need to read the series in order but I found this too long with extraneous detail that could have been removed with no loss to the enjoyment of the work. I also found the two main characters thinly sketched, not feeling that I knew them very well as people by the end of the book. The plot at times stretched credulity and I thought the ending was unbelievable, both the arson and the baby threads. The impression I had was that Mr Booth had lost interest at some point but had to finish the novel and so created his two dénouements.
On the positive side the actual plot was quite interesting and its various links were well delivered and the descriptions of the Derbyshire setting were a pleasure to read. I will look out an earlier book in this series to compare with this one. Recommended for Derbyshire folk!
On the positive side the actual plot was quite interesting and its various links were well delivered and the descriptions of the Derbyshire setting were a pleasure to read. I will look out an earlier book in this series to compare with this one. Recommended for Derbyshire folk!
July 3, 2023
The main things I didn’t like about this book was that there were too many named but somewhat unimportant characters. They had multiple police personnel that came up at points and also other criminals/crime victims that didn’t seem to add anything to the story. I was made to believe that multiple plot points were connected to the two main crimes of the book (Rose Shepherd’s shooting and Mullen’s house fire) but they didn’t end up being actually connected at all.
I did love the ending twist with Kotsev. Although I was disappointed with all the unnecessary loose ends in this book, I do think that was an amazing twist that I didn’t expect.
The book was fine, but I probably wouldn’t recommend it.
I did love the ending twist with Kotsev. Although I was disappointed with all the unnecessary loose ends in this book, I do think that was an amazing twist that I didn’t expect.
The book was fine, but I probably wouldn’t recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2021
A well-written story that engages Fry and Cooper in the death of a middle-aged woman, shot in the chest through her bedroom window, and the suspicious deaths of a mother and two children in a house fire. After much investigation, they find that the victims and their so-called friends are not who they purport to be and discover a link between the shooting and the fire deaths. This book again presented much more police investigation work, finally leading to the discovery of the murderers and the identity of folks they trusted.
January 25, 2021
Book 7 in the series, a comfortable read as I have got to know both SGT Fry and PC Ben Cooper, even though I don't smoke but reading one of these makes me feel snuggled in with my pipe and slippers; ay 630 pages for this edition is an epic but so easy to read the pages fly by. Some reviewers felt it a little slow at times but I found it mimicked reality and the drudgery of detective work sprinkled with fast paced action. More please.
May 18, 2022
Another very good story by Mr. Booth. I really enjoy his description of the settings in his books and the delving into serious issues, in this occasion international adoption.
In terms of the characters, it was good to read Cooper’s love interest stick around, who knows for how long. Nevertheless, there seems to be a connection between Cooper and Petty. Although their relationship is dealt with perfunctorily, I hope that it continues. As for Diane Fry, she seems to be mellowing a bit, which is an improvement and a positive sign for future books, if sustainable.
Another recommendable read!
In terms of the characters, it was good to read Cooper’s love interest stick around, who knows for how long. Nevertheless, there seems to be a connection between Cooper and Petty. Although their relationship is dealt with perfunctorily, I hope that it continues. As for Diane Fry, she seems to be mellowing a bit, which is an improvement and a positive sign for future books, if sustainable.
Another recommendable read!
August 3, 2022
Enjoyable but somewhat over-long entry in the Cooper and Fry series from Stephen Booth. Lots of plot strands well woven together, although I could have done without the signs, symptoms, causes and treatments of schizophrenia - that was probably one too many. Diane Fry is a good character, but sometimes her chippy nature does become a little wearing. A good series though and worth the commitment as a reader.
© Koplowitz 2022
© Koplowitz 2022
February 8, 2023
Having only read one Stephen Booth story before, which I didn't enjoy, I was a little unsure about this, but this is an excellent Fry & Cooper tale. An unexplained house fire and subsequent death of a mother & her two sons is the investigation DS Fry is asked to undertake. Fry is pretty sure she knows who has done it, but then gets dragged off to another mystery death with Cooper. Good tale that has you reading at pace to get to the end. I liked it.
April 4, 2023
As always, a very descriptive and atmospheric suspense novel with many twists and turns: the main character as always is the Peak District itself. This is my 5th Cooper and Fry reading and I'm starting to get annoyed by Booths way of NOT tying up all the loose ends, but rather leaving the reader to founder a bit. He's also in love with the sound of his own voice and goes on too long. I may read one more, but I think I'm tiring of the format.
February 2, 2025
I always enjoy the books in this series, great characters, crimes solved by hard police work not a genius detective. This one in particular had a great ending. These books always deal with themes other than the actual crimes, the changes brought to rural communities with increased modernization and globalization and in thus one in particular a discussion of mental illness and how it affects patients and families.
August 19, 2025
Intense and fast-paced
Scared to Live is book 7 in the Cooper & Fry series. I think it is one of the best mystery/thrillers I've read. So much is happening with a murder, a terrible fire, a visiting Bulgarian police officer, and trouble on the Cooper farm. The range of events and explanations made the storyline that much more intense. I loved it. Also, there is good character growth across the board.
Scared to Live is book 7 in the Cooper & Fry series. I think it is one of the best mystery/thrillers I've read. So much is happening with a murder, a terrible fire, a visiting Bulgarian police officer, and trouble on the Cooper farm. The range of events and explanations made the storyline that much more intense. I loved it. Also, there is good character growth across the board.
October 30, 2019
This one doesn't live up to Booth's earliest books, especially as there was nothing really driving the suspense. I also usually really like how I learn something from whatever threads are woven through his mysteries, but the bits about Bulgarian politics didn't do a lot for me. Longing for the dark, thrilling, twisty vibe of the series' beginning.
November 16, 2018
I am really enjoying this author's books but for some reason this one didn't quite make the list of a great read. The storylines were good but there seemed to be something missing. I would still recommend if you are reading the series to keep up with the personal stories.
August 22, 2019
Small rural town in England, you'd think it would be the worst possible place to hide from the world and it is. Easily found, and just as easily killed. Why? and are the other deaths connected? Nice work around setting - ruins, rehabs and restorations of historic properties and structures.
September 22, 2019
The ending of this novel was not a real surprise to me, but I loved how it was laid out to surprise the other characters. I'm always thinking about the possibilities as I'm reading, so I knew it. The story was so well done and a pleasure to read.
January 4, 2020
Started out with an interesting idea: fire killed family linked to baby smuggling- but got too complicated and boring Couldn't finish. Got this book because the author's other book was very good (Black Dog).
January 10, 2020
I enjoyed this mystery until about the last 50 pages, which seemed to drag on and which I found confusing. The Cooper and Fry characters continue to be interesting. I especially like the way the location in the Peak District contributes to the novel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews