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Songbird

Kings Lake Investigation Series, Book 1

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Songbird

By: Peter Grainger
Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
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About this listen

"He saw a bare arm first, the hand palm up with fingers curled inwards. Then he stopped and took a few breaths. He could hear the two constables making arrangements before they separated, one saying he'd bring the other some tape from the car, and then it was just the summer morning quiet again."

Detective Sergeant Chris Waters got the call at 05.29 that July morning. This is it, said DCI Reeve, you'll be first there, it's all yours, you're the crime scene manager. Suddenly, after months of waiting and wondering, Waters finds himself in at the deep end, and alone at the scene of a puzzling murder.

As the investigation proceeds, the detectives at Kings Lake Central find themselves visiting familiar places and talking to some familiar faces, while old enmities reappear in the incident room. Before this is over, Chris Waters will need to make a career-changing decision, and another member of the CID team will find herself facing an unexpected challenge. And Smith? Gone but not forgotten? Surely, he would say, you cannot write me off with a worn-out cliche like that....

©2019 Peter Grainger (P)2019 Tantor Crime Fiction Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Crime British Mysteries

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All stars
Most relevant
I’m not entirely sure why this “episode” is classed as a new series, but to follow the DC Smith series, this is the next to listen to. Great to hear his old team at work in their new roles. Downloading the next one now!

Excellent continuation of the series

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I really enjoyed the earlier series about DC Smith and was delighted to find a new series about DC Waters. I’m really invested in the lives of the various police officers and this story is up to the high standard of the earlier one. The author is brilliant at bringing his characters to life and making them and their actions believable. This was quite a complicated story, very clever at starting out making you believing one thing then switching it to the total opposite, and making that just as believable. The narrator is excellent as well. I’ve just downloaded 2 more stories in a series of 4 so far published. If you like a fairly complicated, plausible, plot, extremely well developed characters and a superb narrator, then these two series should be right up your street.

I loved everything!

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I was so excited when I found out the series was continuing post-smith and the book didn’t disappoint. Loved the fact that DC is still such a major part of the team’s investigation processes and always there in the background!
Also really enjoyed this storyline, very clever way of linking the past with present having the caravan park be the main site.

Loved it

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The reader is perfect for these novels and portrays the characters convincingly and thoughtfully. This is an excellently crafted plot, causing the reader to become angry and on side regardless of knowing it will all work out in the end. These books are fantastic entertainment and great company.

Excellent story, beautifully read.

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After the listening in order to the excellent DC Smith Investigations books 1 - 8, the latter finishing with DC critical injured, his retirement future uncertain, felt compelled to hear the first story in author Peter Grainger's follow-on series.
Newly promoted to Detective Sergeant, Chris Waters takes over DC's team. When a women's body is discovered near a holiday home park he's first on the scene and becomes involved in what soon proves to be a sensitive case. Saliva traces on the victim, places a young man with learning difficulties in the frame but while other's look to confirm this arrest, he has doubts, gathers more contradictory evidence. Dear DC taught his proteges well, his voice is heard ringing in Chris's head, his way of thinking, even phrases become Chris' own. A welcome appearance from DC himself occurs halfway through the investigation; he's very much alive & happily retired but not beyond giving Chris case pointers.
The whole storyline is well handled & the writing is as entertaining as ever, with plenty of dry wit.
Songbird is longer than the earlier books with even more crime scene details, forensic & police procedures, but it paves the way for the new series, with the 'Murder' Squad, lead by the enigmatic, smart DCI Cara Freeman formally being established, King's Lake being it's base & DC's former team seconded.

Chris Waters takes on DC's mantle!

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